Gotcha
by LilyGhost
Summary: Stephanie helps Ranger catch a skip but in typical Stephanie fashion, she winds up with more trouble than she signed on for. Story four in a five part series set after Another Day Another Danger. This is an established Ranger/Stephanie relationship story.
1. Chapter 1

**At the time that I wrote this, I used the Trenton Country Club website for information on the The Clubhouse and Washington Ballroom. The website has since been updated, and I'm not sure if any changes have taken place to the areas I've described in this story. I also used an online map of Bordentown to get an idea of street names. I tried to stay true to Janet Evanovich's books, so anything familiar; places, characters, phrases, belong to her. The mistakes are mine. Warnings for language and smut.**

I settled into the passenger seat of Ranger's Turbo. This was the third pity pick-up Ranger's done this week. My car was trash ... again. My used-to-be-blue POS Escape put up a valiant fight, but was no match for me and my car killing history. I still held on to a tiny bit of hope that someone, somewhere, could design a car that could survive me owning it. So far, the only car that has is my grandmother's '53 Buick. And I'd rather explode five crap cars a week than to have to borrow Big Blue ever again.

We were cruising down Route One and I suddenly sat up straighter."Hey!" I said to Ranger."Turn here."

Ranger gave me a sideways glance."Why?"

"We're almost at the Quaker Bridge exit, and I need to pick up a baby gift for Mary Lou."

Mary Lou Molnar, now Stankovic, has been my best friend since ... forever. We run in different circles now that she's married, has a pack of kids, and her days revolve around car pools and soccer practices. My days revolve more around shoe shopping and bullet-dodging. Even though we don't see as much of each other as we'd like, our friendship is one that is lifelong. I might not see Mary Lou for weeks, but as soon as we get together it's like we've never been apart. Mary Lou called me last night and told me that she was pregnant. Again. At least, I was pretty sure that's what she told me. I had to piece the conversation together because she was sobbing hysterically through most of it. I can't say that I blame her. I think four kids would be enough to make a padded room in a sanitarium look like a five star retreat.

Ranger took the exit for Quaker Bridge and parked in the lot. We got out of the Turbo and headed for the Macy's entrance. A few minutes later, Ranger and I were standing in the baby department of Macy's. I was looking confused, and Ranger was looking like he wanted to be somewhere else. I figured that this would be simple. Just run in grab something and be out in record time. But who knew there was so much baby _stuff._ Now that I was here, in pastel heaven, I had no clue what to get. Ranger was standing close behind me not being much help.

I stood in front of a huge display of baby clothes contemplating the green or yellow question. What color do you pick if you don't know the sex of the baby? A woman came up the aisle alongside me and smiled. I didn't think I knew her, but apparently being around baby _anything_ makes people friendly.

"When are you do?" She asked me.

My mouth dropped open. I didn't know what to say. I was too busy asking myself if it was my clothes or the two chocolate chip muffins I had this morning that made me look as though I could possibly be pregnant.

Ranger, having heard the question since he was pressed up against me, wrapped his arm around my waist, his hand resting flat on my stomach."March," he said."We just found out."

My whole body contracted. I know, poor choice of words but that's really what it did. When Ranger decided to play, he didn't hold back.

"Congratulations," the woman said to us, before heading to the next aisle.

I turned in Ranger's arms, and narrowed my eyes at him,"What the heck was that?" I asked him.

"Babe, you made me stop here. And you're taking too long deciding on what to buy," Ranger said."I should be allowed to have a little fun while I'm stuck here."

"Since when are you interested in having fun?"

"I have my moments," he said, pressing a light kiss against my lips.

I pushed out of his arms."You'd better hope that woman doesn't know my mother, or Grandma Mazur, because if she does they'll be hell to pay."

I quickly chose three outfits before Ranger could find something else that he would consider _fun _to do. I went with yellow for the color, bought three different sizes just in case, and quickly made my way to the cash.

When we got back to Ranger's Turbo, my cell rang. I looked at the number, and then at Ranger."Shit," I said.

"Your mother?" Ranger asked. The corners of his mouth tilted up in the smallest of smiles.

I answered on the third ring."Ranger was kidding," I told my mother before she could start."It's not true."

"Why would he joke about a baby?" She asked."Who jokes about a baby? And what were you doing in the baby department? You are pregnant, aren't you?"

"No. I'm not pregnant," I said. I slid into the passenger seat and glared at Ranger."Apparently, I was taking too long picking out something for Mary Lou. Ranger got impatient and decided to cause trouble."

"So, there really is no baby?"

"Nope."

"You're sure?"

"Yep," I said, crossing my fingers and praying it was true,"I'm sure." Ranger and I have been very careful, but a prayer couldn't hurt.

She sighed and then hung up.

I blew a strand of hair off my forehead and looked over at Ranger."You're in trouble now," I told him.

"Not the first time, Babe," Ranger said.

"It might be the last time after my mother gets her hands on you."

Ranger's smile widened."I'd rather it be _your_ hands on me," Ranger said, pulling out of the lot.

My body responded despite my best efforts to control it."Oh no you don't," I said to him."You're not going to sweet talk your way out of this one."

"I wasn't trying to talk my way out of anything," Ranger said."I was just being honest."

"Well, stop it," I said."We're talking about my mother here. You might want save your sweet-talking skills for the next dinner at my parents' house," I said."Because you'll need all the help you can get to get back on my mother's good side."

We were almost on Hamilton Avenue when Ranger spoke."Do you have something to do? Or do you want to come back to Rangeman with me?"

"You can drop me at the office," I said."I need to talk to Lula about a shopping trip."

Ranger cut me a look."Babe, we were just at the mall."

"Yes, but I need to find a dress to wear to that dinner you told me about," I told him."And if you thought shopping for baby clothes was bad, then dress shopping would probably kill you."

Ranger had asked for my help in picking up a FTA. Stephen Tavish was a white-collar con man. He was blond, had a big white fake smile, and a runner's body. He looked handsome and non-threatening even in his mug shot, but he's been known to make people disappear if they asked too many questions. He scopes out potential victims at fancy black tie events for people with more money than they know what to do with. So that's where Ranger was going to apprehend him. There was a dinner scheduled Sunday night for a newly elected politician. And Ranger was sure Tavish would be there. I was going along as Ranger's date, and decoy. He said it will be easier for a couple to blend in. So I needed a new dress fast.

"Will I see you tonight?" Ranger asked.

"Probably," I said."I can ask Lula to drop me off at Rangeman."

"I'll have a car for you tomorrow," Ranger said.

He sounded as though getting a brand new car was an everyday occurrence. Of course, now that I think about it, for Ranger it was.

Ranger parked at the curb in front of the bonds office. He slid his arm across my seat back, leaned forward, and kissed me. I opened my mouth to his and clutched the back of his head, holding him to me. Not that he was likely to go anywhere, but why take the chance. By the time the kiss ended, I was breathing hard and Ranger was smiling. Just once I'd like to see him break a sweat before we actually got naked. Lord knows I did every time I got close to him.

"Bye, Babe," Ranger said.

I rolled my eyes at him and got out of the car, watching Ranger drive off. I turned to go into the office and saw Connie and Lula with their faces pressed against the big plate glass window that took up the front of the office. They were smiling wide so I pretty much knew that they'd been watching us.

I blew out a sigh and pushed through the front door.

"Hey girlfriend," Lula said, still smiling.

"Don't start," I said to Lula.

"That was some kiss," Lula said."Wasn't it, Connie?"

"Yeah," Connie said."We should check you for burns."

"I tell you, if he ever kissed me like that, I'd faint dead away," Lula said, fanning her face with her hand."He is so _hot_. Capital H-O-Tkind of _hot._"

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes again, despite the fact that I totally agreed with Lula. I was hoping the idea of shopping would get their minds off my love life. Well, for a little while at least. It would take a miracle for them to do it long term."I need to go on an emergency shopping trip to find a new dress. Anyone interested in coming with me?"

"You know I'm always interested in shoppin'," Lula said."What kind of dress we lookin' for?"

"I'm helping Ranger with a FTA," I told her."He's going to pick him up at black tie dinner. And since I don't normally attend these kind of things, I have nothing to wear." Unless you wanted to count an eggplant colored maid-of-honor dress from when my sister finally decided to marry Kloughn. I didn't want to wear it then. And I sure as heck didn't want to wear it now.

"I'm in," Lula said."When we going?"

"Tomorrow morning," I said."First thing."

"I can't," Connie said."I've got a wedding to go to in Newark tomorrow."

"It's just you and me then," Lula said."We'll shop the shit out those stores."

"Okay," I said."It's a date."

"Did Ranger have to rescue you again?" Connie asked.

"Yep," I said."My car finally died."

"You got some bad car juju going," Lula said."I ain't never seen a person kill so many cars."

"It's just one of my many talents."

"While you're here, I have another skip for you," Connie said, handing me a file."He's not worth a lot, but he still needs to be brought in."

I paged through the file. Collin Martinez was wanted for driving under the influence. He's listed as being twenty-one, and had no prior arrests. Probably he got drunk for the first time at a party and managed to get pulled over on his way home.

I shoved the folder into my bag."I'm on it," I told Connie."I could use a ride to Rangeman if anyone's going that way."

"I'll take you," Lula said."We can stop at Tasty Pastry on the way. I've had a doughnut cravin' all day."

That was fine with me. I've never turned down a doughnut in my life. All worries about appearing pregnant were quickly forgotten when face with something fried and full of sugar.

We said goodbye to Connie and climbed into Lula's red Firebird. Lula turned the key in the ignition and turned the radio up till I could feel my teeth rattling, and we drove the two minutes to Tasty Pastry.

"This will be real quick seeing as how I already know what I'm gettin'," Lula said, as we pushed through the bakery door."I'm gettin' one of everything."

I usually either got two Boston Creams or a Boston Cream and a jelly doughnut. I was going to go with the jelly doughnut combo today. After all, fruit is good for you, right?

We took our bags back to the car and ate our doughnuts on the way to Rangeman. Lula turned down Ranger's street and parked at the curb near the Rangeman security gate.

Lula looked over at me."I ain't never been in Ranger's building before. What does it look like?"

"It looks like an office building," I told her."Clean, organized, and done in neutral tones."

"What about Ranger's apartment?" Lula asked."What's _that_ like?"

"Same," I said."Except for the state-of-the-art kitchen and expensive furniture."

"I don't suppose there's any way I could sneak in and get a look?"

"Sorry," I said to her."The whole building is on camera. Ranger would be notified and you'd have to tell him that you wanted to snoop around in his building."

"I don't think I'd want to do that," Lula said.

I opened the door and slid out of the passengers seat."Thanks for the ride," I said to Lula.

"Do you want me to pick you up in the morning?"

"No," I said."Ranger said I'd have a car tomorrow."

"I can't wait to see what it'll be," Lula said."I hope it's a Ferrari. I'd look good in Ferrari."

"Don't get your hopes up," I told her."I don't think it'll be a Ferrari." But I was thinking I'd look pretty darn good in a Ferrari, too.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I said, and walked to the gate.

I used my key fob to get me past the gate and into the building. I took the elevator to the seventh floor and let myself into Ranger's apartment. I put my bag down and went in search of Ranger. I checked the kitchen, office, and bedroom. No Ranger.

I was walking back to the kitchen when I heard the front door open, and keys being dropped in the silver tray by the door. A beat later Ranger strode into the kitchen. He closed the space between us and kissed me.

Ranger broke from the kiss and grinned down at me."You taste like a doughnut."

I hope he didn't just pollute the temple with a stray calorie, since he did have his tongue in my mouth."Yeah," I said."Lula stopped at the bakery on the way over."

I looked at my watch and saw that it was only a little after five. Ranger almost always works at least until six."How come you're not in your office? Are you playing hooky?" I asked him.

"No," Ranger said."I wanted to tell you that I won't be here for dinner tonight. I've still got a lot to do so I'll grab a sandwich downstairs, but you can call Ella when you're ready for dinner."

"You didn't have to come all the way up here to tell me that," I said."You could have just called me."

"Yes," Ranger said."But then I wouldn't have been able to do this ..."

Ranger curled one arm around my waist pulling me flush against him, and wrapped a hand around the nape of my neck as his mouth came down on mine. Ranger broke from the kiss a few moments later and looked down at me, his eyes dark.

I felt a little dazed, and my lips were tingling."Wow," I said, my voice sounding a little breathless."What was that for?"

"_That_ was to persuade you to wait up for me."

With Ranger, no persuading was needed.

"It worked," I told him.

Ranger's smile widened."I shouldn't be too late."

I was still pressed up against him and I ran the tip of my tongue along his lower lip."Maybe I should do something to persuade you tohurry," I said against Ranger's mouth.

"You don't need to do anything to get me to hurry, Babe," Ranger said."Just knowing you're in my bed is enough." Ranger brushed a light kiss across my lips and released his hold on me.

"You'd better get to work then," I said.

Ranger grinned."I'll be up as soon as I can," Ranger said, before closing the door behind him.

I locked the door after Ranger and went back to the kitchen. I've stayed in Ranger's apartment a lot, but I don't think I'll ever be comfortable having Ella cook for, or clean up after, me. Ella had been hired to make Ranger's life easier while he hunted down bad guys, and ran multiple security firms, and saved the world. She hadn't been hired to take care of me just because I was sleeping with him.

I called down to the sixth floor and told Ella that I'd be okay on my own for dinner. Ranger didn't have any junk food in his apartment, or anywhere else in the building for that matter, but I knew there was one lone jar of peanut butter in his fridge. It was a well known fact that I couldn't survive in a place that didn't have peanut butter in it, so my jar of peanut butter was allowed to stay. I quickly put together a peanut butter and olive sandwich. And it was almost like I was at home except that the olives were imported and expensive, and the bread was whole-grain and homemade. I poured myself a glass of red wine to wash the sandwich down with and ate standing up at the counter. When I was done eating, I poured myself another glass of wine and took it into the den and flipped on the television.

I watched the news, an hour long show about Tuscany on the Travel Channel, a show on decorating cakes, and spent a half hour channel surfing. I couldn't find anything of interest and my wine was long gone. I looked at the clock again eight-thirty. Still no Ranger. I hauled myself off the couch and into the bathroom.

I took a long, hot shower and blow-dried my hair. I tugged one of Ranger's T-shirts over my head, by way of pajamas, and crawled under his orgasmic sheets.

The faint sound of clothes rustling woke me. I wasn't aware that I had fallen asleep, but the clock on Ranger's nightstand said ten fifteen, so I must have dozed off for a little while. I felt a warm body slide into the bed with me.

"I was starting to think you weren't coming back tonight," I said to Ranger. My voice sounded husky and I wasn't sure if it was from sleep or from being in close proximity to him.

Ranger smoothed the hair back from my face."And miss seeing you like this?" Ranger said, his lips brushing my ear, my cheek.

"You _want_ to see me with my hair all messed up and my eyes puffy from sleep?" I asked him.

"You look sexy with you're hair all messed up," Ranger said, his mouth skimming my temple."It's like my fingers have already been tangled in it. And your eyes aren't puffy. They're soft and drowsy from sleep ... and desire."

No argument there. I could already feel my heartbeat quicken and all Ranger was doing was kissing my face. I might be in danger of cardiac arrest by the time he touched anything below my neck. There are some men you could take one look at and just know that they were going to be excellent in bed. And I knew Ranger was going to be one of them five seconds after meeting him. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending how you look at it, after the DeChooch thing I found out exactly how excellent he was. And I'm not just talking about the sex, either. He had set such a high bar that it was hard to settle for something less afterwards. But Ranger clearly wasn't interested in a relationship with me at the time, so he didn't leave me much of a choice about settling. Now that I had him all to myself, I couldn't keep my hands off of him. Which is kind of surprising because I don't think of myself as nymphomaniac material, or at least I didn't until now.

Ranger's hand slipped under my T-shirt and I could tell right away that I had on more clothes than he did.

"You do look good in my T-shirt," Ranger said,"but you look even better without it." He gathered the T-shirt material in his hands and tugged it up and over my head.

My breath caught in my throat as I felt Ranger's bare skin against mine. Since we've been together more than a few times now, Ranger seemed to have memorized my body. He knew when to go slow and take his time. When to apply more pressure and become more aggressive. And he always knew the exact moment to speed up. He knew what my body wanted, and needed, before I did. My brain only registered the firmness of his lips, the warmth of his breath against me, the slight roughness of his hands, and the solid weight of his body as it moved along, and over, mine. I came undone in his arms, as wave after wave of pleasure washed over me. Ranger, not waiting for me to completely come down from one hell of an orgasm, entered me in one smooth motion and started all over again.

I was laying wrapped in Ranger's arms when we were done. And I felt utterly relaxed, like my bones had dissolved. I tipped my head back and looked up at Ranger.

"That was definitely worth waiting up for," I said to him.

Ranger laughed softly."I aim to please," Ranger said, dropping a kiss into my curls.

I can say with absolute authority that he was excellent at pleasing.

I ran my hand along the muscles of Ranger's chest, and pressed my face into his neck inhaling the sexy scent of his Bulgari Green shower gel. How it managed to still cling to him after a full work day, and a remarkable round of lovemaking, I guess was just another one of the mysteries surrounding Ranger. I kissed the skin over his heart and then slid my body over his. I felt his swift intake of air, and smiled.

I leaned closer and whispered against his lips."I don't want you saying you've been doing all the work."

"I don't think making love to you qualifies as_ work,_ Babe."

"Even so ..." I said, kissing him lightly.

Ranger ran his fingers through my curls, and held my head still while he deepened the kiss. When we finally pulled away from each other, Ranger's lips tilted up in a sexy smile.

"I'm all yours," Ranger said, his voice quiet in the dark bedroom.

My body trembled. And I wasn't sure if it was from the words, the sound of his voice, or Ranger being underneath me. Probably it was all three of them. I traced Ranger's lips before covering them with mine. I let my hands wander as I kissed him. After I thoroughly caressed every inch of Ranger's skin I could reach, I found myself on my back with Ranger taking control again. That was fine with me, I thought. I could just lie back and enjoy. And enjoy I did.

We were at sitting at the breakfast bar the next morning. Ranger and I had showered together, which included only a little fooling around since he had to meet with Tank first thing. Once Ranger realized that I wasn't going to complain about his long hours, and that I'd more than likely be here when he came home, he was slowly going back to his early morning routine.

Ella had brought the usual breakfast assortment. Whole-grain bagels, no fat cream cheese, smoked salmon, and a frittata loaded with vegetables. Along with a full pot of coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice. I had to admit that the table did look pretty with all the good-for-you foods arranged perfectly, but this morning I would have traded my health for a stack of buttermilk pancakes with butter and extra syrup.

"Did you talk to Lula?" Ranger wanted to know.

"Yeah," I said."As soon as I'm finished breakfast I'm going to pick up Lula and we'll hit the stores early."

Ranger smiled."Babe, you don't have a car."

"I know," I said."But you said yesterday that I'd have a car in the morning. And since you always seem to have a car for me, I told Lula that I'd drive."

"What would happen if I didn't have a car for you?"

I blew out a sigh."I'd ask you very nicely to drop me off at Lula's apartment and we'd take her Firebird."

"How nice were you planning on being?" Ranger asked me, his eyes darkening.

"I think I've been nice already this morning," I said to him, my eyes narrowing."And you're not going to distract me. I have only a couple of hours to find something to wear. I don't have time to _do_ anything else, car or not."

Ranger's smile widened.

"Are you going to give me a ride, or what?" I asked him. Jeez. Next time I'll just call a cab.

"Don't need to, Babe," Ranger said."There's a car for you in the garage."

"Why didn't you just say so?" I asked.

"You're adorable when you get mad like that."

Oh boy."Is it a Ferrari?" I asked.

"Sorry," Ranger said."It's not a Ferrari."

I didn't think so, since it would be hard to get an FTA into one, but still a girl could dream, couldn't she?

After we cleaned up the kitchen, Ranger ushered me out of the apartment and into the elevator. He pushed the button for the garage level, and I looked over at him.

"You don't always have to walk me down to the garage," I said to him."There are cameras everywhere. I'm totally safe. And do I need to remind you that Tank is waiting for you?"

"No, you don't need to remind me," Ranger said."And if I want to walk you to your car, then I'm going to walk you to your car," he said, stepping out of the elevator."Tank can wait a minute."

I was going to stick my tongue out at him, or do something else equally mature, when I caught sight of my new car and froze. I think some drool might have dribbled out of the corner of my mouth. It was a brand new black Mercedes ML550 SUV. And it was the flashiest, and most expensive, car Ranger had ever given me.

I turned to Ranger."I can't drive that!" I said, my voice sounding like nails on a chalkboard.

Ranger took my hand and tugged me toward the car."Why not?"

I looked at him, my eyes going wide."What do you mean _why not_? You know my track record with cars!" I said."This car is _perfect. _This car is _beautiful_. And I don't want it to get smashed up, blown up, or squished flat." That's how pathetic I am. All these things have actually happened to my cars. And sometimes they even happened all on the same day.

Ranger shrugged, obviously not concerned."It's just a car, Babe," Ranger said."It can be replaced."

Easy for him to say. He was used to owning expensive cars. And nothing ever happened to _his_ cars. Well, unless I was driving them. And driving this car wasn't the problem. The problem was that I always felt bad when something happened to one of Ranger's cars. And something _always_ happens to them.

I stood there chewing on my lower lip trying to delude myself into thinking that maybe, just maybe, the car wouldn't get destroyed this one time, when Ranger reached out and rubbed his thumb across my lip forcing me to stop.

"You're thinking too much," he said, sliding an arm around my waist, pulling me against him."I want you to use the car. Not only will it not break down on you, you'll also be tied into the Rangeman network. So if anything does happen, we'll be able to react faster."

Okay, that made sense. I blew out a sigh."Fine," I said."I'll take the car. But I make no promises about the condition it'll be in when it comes back."_ If _it comes back at all.

Ranger didn't smile, but his eyes crinkled a little at the corners. He kept one hand on my hip and reached into his pocket with the other pulling out a set of keys and handed them to me."As long as _you _come back in one piece," Ranger said,"that's all that matters."

I stood up on tiptoes and pressed my lips to his."Good to know," I whispered against his mouth.

Ranger smiled at me."Have fun shopping," Ranger said.

"Oh, I intend to," I said."I'll have a much better shopping partner with me this time."

Ranger's smile widened. He gave my waist an affectionate squeeze before taking a step away from me. I opened the door to the Mercedes and slid behind the wheel. I waved to Ranger as he got into the elevator and took a moment to fully appreciate my new car. I closed my eyes and inhaled the new car smell. If there were cars in heaven, this would be what they'd smell like, I thought. I plugged the key into the ignition and drove out of the garage.

I dialed Lula's number before pulling out of the gate and told her that I was leaving now. Twenty minutes later, I stopped in front of Lula's apartment. She was sitting on the little front porch waiting for me. She took one look at the Mercedes and gave me a big smile. I unlocked the passenger door and Lula slid in next to me.

She shook her head at me."Girl, you must have done something _real_ good last night to get_ this _car."

"Are you implying that Ranger only gave me this car because I slept with him?" I asked her."Ranger has always given, or loaned, me cars. Even before I slept with him."

Lula looked around at the interior of the Mercedes."Have you taken a good look at this car? This is a _excellent_ car. This here's a I-got-some-last-night-and-it-was-_good_ kind of car."

I suppose that could be true. Ranger _did_ get some last night. And it was _good. _But I didn't want to think that it was his sole reason for giving me this car.

"Enough about the car," I said."We need to focus on finding me a dress for tomorrow."

"Where we headed?" Lula wanted to know.

Ranger had given me his corporate card since, technically, this shopping trip falls under Rangeman business. The card had a limit high enough that if I was a different kind of person, Ranger could have been in financial trouble. As it was, I couldn't spend beyond what would make me feel comfortable. That meant shopping in retail stores and discount boutiques.

"We can start out at the mall," I said to Lula."If I can't find anything there, we'll hit the outlet stores."

"Sounds good to me," Lula said."I feel like I could shop all day. And I bet we're gonna find just what you're lookin' for."

Two hours into shopping, I still hadn't found anything. We left Quaker Bridge, stopped at McDonald's for a quick lunch, and then tried out a few stores in the area specializing in formal wear. Still nothing. We finally hit pay-dirt at a little boutique in Mercerville. Lula walked into the store, took one look at a red dress that was hanging by the door, and headed straight for it.

"Hold the phone," Lula said, taking the dress off the rack."This is it! You don't need to try it on for me to know this here's the one."

I looked at the dress she was holding. It was a floor length red chiffon dress with tiny silver beading that made it sparkle in the light. It had a low cowl-type neckline and thin spaghetti straps. I had to agree with Lula. If the dress fit, this would be the one.

A saleswoman came up behind us."Can I help you ladies with anything?"

"Someone could have asked us that hours ago," Lula said to her."But not no more. We found what we we're looking for."

I took the dress from Lula and walked to where the fitting rooms were. I dropped the dress over my head and it fit perfectly. It wasn't tight, but it was clingy in all the appropriate places. And the way the neckline was made, it looked like my cleavage was bumped up a cup size. I'm not a vain person, but even I had to admit that I looked good in this dress.

"Well," I heard Lula say,"are you gonna stay in there all day? Or are you gonna let me see?"

I walked out of the fitting room."What do you think?"

"Damn skippy!" Lula said."It looks like it was made just for your skinny ass. See, I knew it the minute I saw it."

"You think it's okay?" I asked Lula.

"I think it's more than okay. I think once Ranger sees you in this dress, you might not make it to that fancy-pants dinner at all."

She might be right.

"My shopping moons must be all in a row, 'cause while you were taking your sweet time trying that on, I found _the_ shoes to go with it. You can thank me later. Around suppertime, maybe. I'm getting hungry ..."

"The shoes?"

"Oh yeah," Lula said."They're right over here."

The shoes were the same red as the dress, with only enough fabric to cover the pointed toe. There was a thin line of silver beading on the edge of the satin that made them a perfect match for the dress. The only other part of the shoe, besides the four-inch stiletto heel, was one strap. The strap started in the middle of the shoe, and crisscrossed over it to wrap around and buckle at the ankle.

I slipped the shoes on and they were a perfect fit. Lula was freakishly good at this.

"I think I found my calling," Lula said, looking me over."Am I good at this shit, or what?" Lula called the saleswoman over."She'll take the dress and the shoes," Lula said to her, then looked back at me."You got a bag to go with this?"

"No."

Lula turned back to the saleswoman."We need a bag, too."

"The bags are to the left at the back of the store," the woman said.

"You change," Lula said,"and I'll pick out a bag. It's not like I need any help with this."

I came out of the fitting room five minutes later. Lula was waiting by the register, a red envelope-style clutch was on the counter in front of her.

"Hurry up," Lula said to me."I'm gettin' hungry. Did you notice I found everything you needed in the time it took you to try somethin' on? Honestly, I don't know why I even brought you along."

"I brought you, remember?" I said to her.

"Yeah, but I think it's obvious to everyone here that you could have stayed home," Lula said to me.

"Are you all set?" the cashier asked.

"Yes," I said, passing the dress and the shoes over to her.

I gave the woman Ranger's credit card with only a tiny twinge of guilt. I did try not to spend too much. That should be worth something, right? And I think Ranger will approve of the end result.

When Lula and I got back to the Mercedes, Lula looked over at me.

"Do I get my supper now?"

"Yes," I said to her."And before you ask, yes, I'm buying. After all you did help me today."

"I did more than help," Lula said.

Here we go, I thought. I liked Lula a lot, but sometimes the price you have to pay for asking for help outweighs the actual help you end up getting.

We stopped at Cluck-in-a-Bucket on the way home. I knew I was going to have to listen to Lula talk about how she single-handedly saved the day, but I figured between the chicken, fries, biscuits, and dessert she might be busy eating and it may slow down her bragging a bit.

It was close to six when I dropped Lula off. I was going to make a short trip back to my apartment and drop my bags off. It would be easier just to get dressed there tomorrow, since all my hair and makeup stuff is there.

I took a right on Hamilton ten minutes later, and pulled into the lot behind my apartment building.

I parked and gathered the bags out of the back seat. I had the dress bag in one hand, and the bag with my sexy shoes and evening bag in the other. I beeped the Mercedes locked, turned toward my building, and bumped into a heavily muscled chest. Ranger.

He took the bags from me."What are you doing here?" He asked me.

"I live here, remember?" I said.

"I thought you were coming back to Rangeman after your shopping trip."

"I figured it would be easier to get ready at my apartment," I told Ranger."All my stuff is here, so I was going to drop off what I bought."

Ranger walked me into the building to the elevator. He pushed the button for the second floor and looked over at me.

"Pack up whatever you need and we'll take it with us."

"It would be easier for me to just meet you at Rangeman _after_ I'm dressed."

Ranger just looked at me not saying anything. I blew out a breath. It wasn't really a big deal. I guess I should take it as a good sign that he wanted me with him at Rangeman.

"Fine," I said."If you want me to get ready at your apartment, then I'll get ready at your apartment. It doesn't make any difference to me."

Ranger let me unlock the door, but wanted me to wait until he'd looked around before I followed him in. No one has broken in for a while now, but Ranger was cautious all the same. He put my shopping bags down on the counter before leaning against it.

"I hope you plan on giving Ella a raise," I said to Ranger."She's going to need one after my stuff explodes in your bathroom."

Ella was Ranger's housekeeper. Every morning she cleans, straightens, and dusts Ranger's apartment making sure nothing was out of place. After all these years of dealing with just Ranger's things, I was afraid she'd quit once she got a look at all my crap.

My apartment was relatively neat. I didn't cook, so my kitchen was always clean. I didn't have much furniture, since most of it burned after my apartment got firebombed the second time. I didn't spend a lot of time lounging around in my bedroom, so aside from making the bed and picking up discarded clothes, my bedroom wasn't too bad, either. My bathroom, on the other hand, was a disaster zone.

"Don't worry about Ella," Ranger said to me."Just get whatever you need."

I grabbed an overnight bag from my closet and went into the bathroom and started dumping the contents of my bathroom into it. I grabbed hair gel, hair spray, a curling iron, my makeup case along with two or three extra lipstick tubes; since I didn't know which color I'd need, two bottles of nail polish, my perfume, and a bunch of hair brushes.

I headed back to my bedroom and pulled out another bag. This one for clothes. I only bought the dress and shoes, so I had to make do with the underclothes I already had. The dress didn't require a bra since it had one built in, but I still needed underwear. I dumped a red lace thong into the bag along with thigh-high pantyhose. I hated pantyhose. To me they seem like a modern day torture device. One of the biggest selling points of taking a job with Vinnie was that I didn't have to wear pantyhose on an everyday basis. But if forced to, I could tolerate thigh-highs. Barely. I also packed up my jewelry box. I didn't have anything aside from costume jewelry, but I didn't think anyone at the dinner would notice.

I carted my bags out to the living room."I think I've got everything," I said to Ranger, dropping the bags onto the floor.

He looked down at the bags by my feet, his eyebrow raised."You need two bags to get ready for one night?"

"I didn't know exactly what I would need," I told him."And don't forget, it was your idea to pack up my stuff and take it to Rangeman. You should be happy I stopped at two bags."

Ranger shouldered all of my bags, and headed for the front door."Do you want to take Rex with us?"

"Yes," I said. I wrapped my arms around Rex's cage, and followed Ranger out the front door. He waited while I leaned Rex against my hip and locked up after us.

"We'll take the Porsche," Ranger said."I'll send someone to pick up the Mercedes and bring it back to Rangeman.

I didn't think picking up my cars, or hauling them away, fell under security-related business, but Ranger seemed willing to pay his men to do it, so who was I to complain?

Ranger put everything, except Rex, in the back of the Porsche, and we drove back to Rangeman.

"You don't think people are going to get the wrong idea, do you?" I asked Ranger, when we were standing in the elevator."That I'm moving in with you?" I said, giving the mini-cam in the corner a finger wave.

"And if they did ... ?" Ranger asked.

"My mother is already not happy with you. I don't think us living together, without a wedding involved, will make her more willing to forgive you." I blew out a sigh."What am I talking about? I'm worrying for nothing," I said after a minute."This is a _temporary_ arrangement," I told him."Everyone will see this stuff being hauled back to my apartment on Monday."

"We'll see," Ranger said.

I wasn't touching that one. I was married for about fifteen minutes a long time ago. And ever since then, I've had commitment issues. If I had to arrange all the crap in my brain into neat little mental folders, Dickie Orr would be in two separate ones. One marked asshole because, well, he was one. And he would also be listed under failures. I know my marriage ending wasn't my fault, since Dickie was a cheating pig, but I grew up in the Burg and Burg marriages were supposed to stick for life. So deep down, I still feel like I failed at being married, somehow. So you can see why I'm not in any hurry to try again.

The elevator doors opened and I unlocked his apartment door for us. I went straight to the kitchen, placing Rex's cage on the counter. And Ranger headed for the bedroom to put my stuff down. I pulled two Corona's out of the fridge and handed one to Ranger when he came back into the kitchen.

"Are you going to show me what you bought today?" Ranger asked me.

"Nope."

"Why?"

"I want it to be a surprise," I told him. I also didn't want it ending up crumpled on the floor, which I suspected was what would happen to it once Ranger saw it.

There was the smallest of smiles on Ranger's lips."It's that good?" Ranger asked.

"Lula thinks so."

"Babe," Ranger said, smiling,"Lula dresses in neon spandex."

"Yes," I said, feeling like I had to defend Lula,"but that's _her_ style. Lula has excellent taste when it comes to what other people wear. You'll see."

"I can't wait."

"Well you're going to have to," I said on a smile.

"Did you already have dinner?" Ranger asked me."I grabbed a sandwich downstairs, but Ella can make you something."

"I'm good," I said."Lula worked up an appetite shopping, so we stopped at Cluck-in-a-Bucket."

We finished our beer and migrated to the den to watch television. Before Ranger and I started figuring out if seeing each other was a good idea, since we both had issues to deal with, he spent most of his time working. Now that we're together, he's trying to keep better hours so he has time to do mundane things like watching TV with me in the evening.

At ten-thirty I was ready to call it a day. I uncurled myself from the couch, and Ranger, and went to take a shower while Ranger checked in with the control room. He might have mellowed out some, but Ranger was still a workaholic. And I suspected he'd always be one.

I blow dried my hair and slipped Ranger's shirt over my head. I stepped into the bedroom. Still no Ranger. I slid into bed and five minutes later Ranger was in the bedroom. He quickly stripped off his black T-shirt and cargo pants. I've seen it all before, numerous times, but I couldn't have taken my eyes off him if my life depended on it. He joined me on the bed and reached out, his hands circling my waist, pulling me flat against him. As soon as he dipped his head, my body went damp in anticipation. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and just held on as anticipation soon turned into satisfaction.

I woke up Sunday morning to sunshine. Okay, technically I was awake about two hours ago, when Ranger kissed my bare shoulder and slid out of bed to get ready for work. But I was only half awake when he came back, hair still damp from his shower, to kiss me goodbye. Unless I'm forced to, I try never to get up before the sun. Ranger on the other hand, doesn't appear to need sleep. And we certainly didn't get a lot of it last night. Since the sun had finally lit up the bedroom, I left the comfort of Ranger's bed. I got dressed and headed to the kitchen to get breakfast for me and Rex.

I changed Rex's water and filled his bowl with hamster crunchies. There was no movement in the pine shavings. If I knew Rex, he was holding out for something other than hamster food. I poked around Ranger's cabinets and found some whole-wheat crackers. I dropped a cracker and a couple grapes into the cage and watched Rex back out of his soup can, stuff the cracker into his cheek, and scurry back to his bed. I never would have gotten up for a whole-wheat anything, but then again I'm not a hamster. Hamsters don't know about birthday cake.

I cut two slices of bread for toast from a loaf that was sitting on the breadboard and programmed the coffee maker. When the coffee was finished brewing, and my toast popped out of the toaster, I took them to the dining room table. I pulled out the file on the skip Connie had just given me along with the three open ones that I had yet to bring in and got to work.

I spent most of the morning on the phone. I didn't want to be running around all day attempting to catch someone if I had to get dressed up tonight. Usually when I chased someone down, I end up getting scraped, bruised, dirty, or cut up. And any one of those would ruin the look of my dress. So I spent the morning hanging around Ranger's apartment trying to track down my FTA by phone.

Ranger had mentioned last night that he was going to have lunch in his office so he could finish all his paperwork, since he'd be leaving early tonight. I don't think he knows that normal people don't work overtime on Sundays, but this was Ranger and he wasn't even close to normal. At twelve, I took the elevator down to the fifth floor, and walked past the control room waving to the men I knew on the way to Ranger's office. He was on the phone when I stepped into his doorway. Ranger acknowledged my appearance with a smile. The smile got bigger when I settled myself into the chair across from his desk.

He wrapped up the phone call."Babe."

"I needed to stretch my legs," I told him."And I thought I'd see if you'd had lunch already."

"No," Ranger said."I haven't had a chance yet."

"It's a good thing I came down. We wouldn't want you fainting from hunger."

"I don't faint," Ranger said.

No kidding. I don't think Ranger's body would do anything without his permission first.

I left Ranger and headed to the little kitchen where Ella kept food stocked for the Rangemen. I grabbed a couple of sandwiches and two bottles of water and went back to Ranger's office. I handed him a sandwich and a bottle of water.

"So," I said, unwrapping my sandwich. I'd chosen chicken sandwiches, and while I'll admit that it was pretty with it's ruffled lettuce, ripe tomato, and more than likely fat-free mayo, it would have looked so much better with a few pieces of bacon on it."What's the plan for tonight?"

Ranger took a bite of his sandwich."The dinner is at six," he said."We need be there early so we'll have a chance to grab him before the food is served. I'd like to leave before five."

I looked at my watch. Four hours to get ready. It could be done, I thought, but I'd have to hurry.

When we finished eating, I stood and gathered up the trash."I should get going if I want to be ready in time."

"I'll be up in a little while," Ranger told me."I have some paperwork to get through before I leave for the night."

I walked around Ranger's desk with the intention of giving him a quick kiss, but Ranger had other ideas. As soon as my lips touched his and I started to pull away, Ranger held me in place with a hand on my neck, deepening the kiss. When his tongue stroked mine, I forgot for a moment that we were in his office. That's not good when everything in the control room is on camera.

Ranger lifted his head, and there was a slight curve to the corners of his mouth."That was much better," he said to me, letting me take a step back.

"I'm leaving now," I told him, quickly walking out of his office before I either kicked him in the knee or threw myself at him.

I took a shower. I blow-dried my hair, all the while trying to figure out what to do with it. I knew I wanted to wear it up, but figuring out how was the hard part. After fifteen minutes of pulling, pinning, and spraying I finally succeeded, so I quickly moved on to my makeup and nails. By the time Ranger showed up, all I had left to do was slip into my dress and shoes.

"I like the new look," Ranger said, checking out the combination of my hair effort and the bathrobe I was still wearing.

I narrowed my eyes."Are you mocking me?"

"No, Babe," Ranger said."I like how you fill out my robe."

Oh boy."Are you going to have enough time to get dressed?" I asked Ranger.

Ranger looked at his watch."Yes," he said."All I have to do is take a quick shower."

I've just spent the last couple hours doing my hair, choosing and putting on the right makeup, painting my nails. Not to mention the hours spent shopping for something to wear in the first place. And all Ranger had to do was take a shower. In fifteen minutes he'd be ready to go. And since it was Ranger, he'd look perfect, too. I sometimes wondered if Ranger and God had some kind of deal worked out. It would explain a lot.

Ranger went to take a shower and I pulled the dress out of it's bag. I dropped it over my head and smoothed it down. I stepped into my shoes and buckled the straps. I was just finishing putting my faux diamond earrings on when Ranger came back into the bedroom.

I gave Ranger a little spin."What do you think?" I asked him.

Ranger did a full body scan on me. His eyes dilated black, and he took a step toward me.

I put my hand up stopping him."What are you doing?" I asked him.

"I just want to get a closer look," Ranger said, his eyes focused on my chest.

"I know what you want," I said to Ranger."And it isn't about just getting a look. Lula was right."

Ranger finally lifted his eyes back to mine."Right about what?"

"Lula said that once you saw me in this dress we might not make it to the dinner."

Ranger smiled, his hand on my waist."We have a little time," he said.

"No we don't," I said, trying to sound firm, but the truth was, Ranger was looking pretty darn good himself. He had on a perfectly tailored tux, minus the jacket. I've seen Ranger in SWAT clothes, jeans and a T-shirt, and nothing at all. And while nothing could top Ranger being naked, a tux was a close second. To me, and probably every other woman on earth, just looking at Ranger in formal wear could cause an instant orgasm. I've always thought that the only thing better than a man wearing a tux was getting the man out of a tux, so I had to agree with him._ I _wouldn't have minded skipping the dinner altogether, either.

Ranger wrapped his arms around me and nuzzled my neck."I bet I could change your mind," Ranger whispered close to my ear.

I slid my hands up his chest, feeling the coolness of the white dress shirt he wore."You could. But you might lose your skip if you do."

"It's not fair to look this beautiful and not let me do anything about it," Ranger said as he stepped back from me."But unfortunately, you're right. We'll pick this up when we get back."

I watched Ranger shrug into his tuxedo jacket. Yep, I thought, fifteen minutes and he looked perfect. He definitely made a deal with somebody.

Ranger followed me out of the bedroom and down the hallway to the front door. He grabbed a set of keys before escorting me into the elevator. The doors closed behind us, and Ranger glanced at the camera.

"I hope none of our accounts have a break in right now," Ranger said,"because every eye in the control room will be glued to this monitor."

I smiled up at him."You think you look that good?" I asked him.

Ranger's lips curved up a little at the corners."Not me, Babe. You. Half my men are already in love with you. And this dress will ensure that the other half will be, too."

"And here I was thinking that the men were following me around only because you told them to."

"That had better be the only reason they do."

The elevator doors opened and I gasped. Ranger must have met with the car fairy again, because in front of me was the most beautiful car I had ever seen. Even better than the one I had. It was a black Mercedes CL550 coupe. And I was in love.

Ranger opened the passenger door for me and I settled into the leather seat."Where do you get all these cars on such short notice?" I asked Ranger as he slid behind the wheel.

"I have a source," he said.

I figured I didn't really want to know any more about what kind of source he was referring to, so I dropped the subject. We made the ten minute drive without saying much. Ranger was in his zone, and I was trying to figure out how the evening would play out. Are we going to wait until the end of the night to grab Tavish? Cuff him as soon as we see him? I didn't know. But I knew Ranger. He probably had it all planned out, and would tell me what he wanted me to do when he was ready for me.

The dinner was being held in the Washington Ballroom at the Trenton Country Club Clubhouse. The Clubhouse was a colonial mansion built in 1808. It was a beautiful building, but somehow seemed out of place here in Jersey. It looked like it belonged somewhere in Georgia on an oak lined driveway, not in the middle of a New Jersey golf course.

We followed a line of cars up the long drive to the Clubhouse. There was valet parking for the event and we waited patiently for our turn. By the time the passenger door was finally opened for me by one of the valets, I was starting to feel like Cinderella at the ball five minutes before the clock struck twelve.

Ranger settled his hand at the small of my back, and escorted me into the building."We stay together at all times," Ranger said in my ear."As soon as it's possible, we grab our guy and get out."

Fine with me, I thought. We stepped into the foyer of the clubhouse, and it was wall-to-wall people. I had no clue how we were going to spot Tavish. I had a hard enough time seeing the person in front of me. I turned my head to look at Ranger, who thankfully kept a hand at my waist so we wouldn't be separated.

"How are we supposed to find Steven Tavish in this crowd?" I asked him.

I felt Ranger's lips at my ear again."The crowd will thin out once we're inside the ballroom."

I was hoping he was right, because right now spotting one man among this sea of tuxes seemed next to impossible.

We followed the stream of people past the double stair case and into the ballroom. The ballroom was large enough to accommodate a bar, complete with bartender at the ready, a hardwood dance floor that could easily fit at least a hundred people, and a whole slew of linen covered tables that took up the rest of the room. It wasn't really my kind of thing, but it was beautiful none the less.

The tickets for the event had table numbers on them, not quite assigned seating, but close enough. We found our table and sat down.

"What do we do now?" I asked Ranger.

"We sit here for a few minutes and see if we can spot Tavish," Ranger said."If we don't, we'll try the dance floor."

I turned my head and looked at him."You can dance?" I didn't know why I was surprised by this. Ranger could do, and was good at, _everything._

"Yes," Ranger said to me, lifting my hand to his lips,"I can dance."

His lips brushed my knuckles as he was talking, and I was starting to now get worried about dancing with Ranger. I was having a hard time concentrating with Ranger's lips touching my hand. What would happen when we danced and every other part of our bodies would be touching? I wasn't sure if I was looking forward to it or dreading it.

We stayed seated until most of the guests were settled either in their seats or on the dance floor.

"I don't see him," I whispered to Ranger, since we were no longer alone at the table.

"I don't, either," Ranger said."On to Plan B."

"And that would be dancing?"

"Yes," Ranger said,"that would be dancing. We'll be able to move around. And we'll also be able to see more of the room."

Ranger stood and pulled my chair out for me before leading me to the dance floor."If this capture is a bust at least I'll have had the chance to dance with you," Ranger said to me.

While I was happy beyond words that he had said that, I wasn't exactly sure what to say back. So I went with humor and broke the seriousness of the moment.

"I guess it's a good thing Tank isn't your partner for this job," I said to Ranger,"it would have been a little awkward."

"Yeah. And Tank wouldn't have looked as good in that dress as you do."

I laughed at the thought of Tank in a red sparkly dress, then grimaced when I actually visualized it. It wasn't a pretty picture.

Ranger took me in his arms just as the song changed into a something slow. I was right in worrying about dancing with Ranger. His body kept brushing against mine, and I was afraid my eyes were starting to glaze over. Not good when you're supposed to be on the lookout for someone. As a distraction from Ranger, I was watching the people around us on the floor. I thought it was good that I wasn't really the jealous type, because the women, I noticed, were not shy in checking out Ranger. Okay, I am the jealous type, but I couldn't blame them. He did look hot. I've pretty much gotten used to ogling women by now; having been with Morelli who was close in the hot department. And now with Ranger. I pressed myself closer to Ranger, and enjoyed my good fortune, not being one to question my luck if I had any.

I scanned the bar area briefly, and to my surprise, my eyes collided with Steven Tavish. He gave me a smile, that I'm sure has broken many hearts, and tipped his drink to me. I stiffened in Ranger's arms.

"What?" Ranger asked me, feeling my body suddenly go still.

I looked up at him."I just found our guy."

"Where?"

"He's standing next to a table by the bar talking to an older man sitting at the table," I told him. I didn't think it would be a good idea to tell Ranger about the smile and the drink salute.

"Probably drumming up business," Ranger said."I don't want him to suspect why we're here, so we'll stay out here for a few more minutes. Just try to keep him in your sight."

"Sure," I said."No problem." Yeah, right. Like I was going to be able to see him when the song ends, and everyone goes back to their tables. Did I mention that the place was packed?

I rested my chin on Ranger's shoulder, enjoying this time with him all the while keeping my eye on Tavish without seeming to. The song ended a few minutes later, and just as I feared, people moved between the dance floor and the tables and I could no longer see Tavish.

"Crap!" I said.

"What?" Ranger asked, pulling back a little to look at me.

"I lost him," I said.

"It's still early," Ranger said."We'll let the next song play out. By then most of the people should be sitting down again."

He was right. We'll have plenty of opportunities to catch Steven Tavish tonight. Having reassured myself of that, I relaxed into Ranger's arms. He pressed a kiss to my temple and rested his cheek against the side of my head. With Ranger's body warm against mine, and his arms strong around me, I completely understood why dancing was long ago considered foreplay.

Five minutes later, people were returning to their seats. And there was still no sign of Tavish anywhere. He seemed to be acting flirty with me earlier, maybe I'd have a better chance of drawing him out and away from the other guests if I wasn't with Ranger.

"How about I wander around alone for a few minutes," I said to Ranger."Maybe I can start him talking and you can grab him."

Ranger cut his eyes to me."I don't think that's a good idea," he said.

"Why not?"

"I don't want you alone with this guy."

"Jeez," I said, rolling my eyes."I only suggested talking to him, not sleeping with him."

"Babe," Ranger said,"he's not going to be thinking of much else."

"I'm sure the man can have a simple conversation without wanting to jump my bones," I said to Ranger. See, it was smart not to have told Ranger about the smile/salute thing, since it would have kind of hurt my argument.

"All right," Ranger said."We'll try it your way, but I want you to keep in mind that this guy looks innocent enough, but he has killed people. If he does _anything _to make you feel uncomfortable walk away. This takedown isn't worth you getting hurt over."

"Fine by me," I told him. I didn't really want to talk to Tavish _at all_, never mind alone. But this seemed like the quickest way to an apprehension.

"I don't want to chance him spotting me and trying to run," Ranger said."But I will be following close behind you."

"As long as you aren't going to be too far away," I said to Ranger."Because the only weapons I have are my knee, and these shoes."

Ranger smiled."Don't worry, Babe, as always, my eyes will be on you the entire time," Ranger said. He kissed me lightly before blending in with the crowd.

I took a deep breath, and started moving toward the foyer. I turned to see if I could spot Ranger and bumped into a smiling, blond guy. I was right. Tavish had been purposely waiting until I was alone to approach me. I didn't know exactly where Ranger was, but I could tell by the way my body tingled that he was close by. Just knowing he was watching gave me the courage I needed to pull this off.

"Hi," I said to Tavish, giving him a smile that was more friendly than flirty. I wanted to talk him, but I didn't want to encourage him too much.

"Hi yourself," he said to me, his eyes giving my body a very thorough once-over."I saw you walk in and knew that I had to meet you."

Ulk. The thought that he's been watching me the whole time made my stomach feel queasy.

"Steven Tavish," he said, holding out his hand.

"Stephanie," I told him. I was hoping he wouldn't notice that I had purposely not given him my last name. I didn't want to take a chance on him recognizing me or my name.

He took my hand in his and kissed it. He also waited a beat too long in releasing it. Great. Now I have creepy murder guy cooties on my hand. This wasn't turning out good. Maybe now wasn't the best time to try apprehending him, I thought. I was suddenly nervous about being alone with this guy.

I tugged my hand loose."I should be getting back," I said, taking a step away from him.

He closed the distance between us and grabbed my arm. His grip wasn't tight enough to hurt, but it was firm enough to let me know that he didn't want me to leave just yet.

"What's the rush?" He asked."We haven't had a chance to get to know each other."

"My boyfriend will be looking for me if I'm gone too long," I said. And it wasn't entirely untrue."He wouldn't like seeing me talking to another guy." Again, not entirely untrue. Ranger probably had his hand on his gun right about now. I had to get away from Tavish without causing a scene. Also without Ranger shooting him for grabbing me, which I had to admit was appealing at the moment.

He still had hold of my arm and I felt his fingers tighten. Tavish apparently wasn't used to not getting his way.

"Seems to me like you need a new boyfriend," he said."One who isn't so possessive."

Even as he was saying this, he was pulling me towards the door.

"Are you all right?" I heard Ranger ask from behind Tavish, his eyes on the hand wrapped around my arm. Ranger's face didn't show any emotion, but his voice sent a chill down my spine. Tavish must have picked up on the tone of Ranger's voice, because he immediately dropped my arm.

"Yes," I told Ranger, rubbing the spot where Tavish's fingers had dug in. I was fairly certain I'd have finger-size bruises forming there in a few minutes. I stepped around Tavish and stood close to Ranger. Ranger circled my waist with his arm without taking his gaze off of Tavish.

"We were just talking," Tavish said, obviously recognizing the danger he was in.

"Didn't look like just talking from where I was standing," Ranger said, his voice deathly calm."Maybe someone needs to talk to you to about keeping your hands to yourself."

"I swear, I wasn't going to do anything to her," Tavish said."I was just escorting her back inside."

"It's okay," I said to Ranger,"I'm fine. Let's just forget about this and go back to our table." I mentally had my fingers crossed that Ranger would pick up on my subtle, 'lets wait to grab the bad guy until you're not so tempted to shoot him' plea. I looked up at Ranger, and a knot formed in my stomach. Ranger wasn't going to let this go.

"See," Tavish said,"she's fine. If you'll excuse me ..."

As he started to walk away, Ranger let go of me and clamped a hand down on Tavish's shoulder, stopping him."I think we need to have a discussion. Outside," Ranger said to Tavish. And he steered Steven Tavish toward the front entrance.

I followed slowly behind them not knowing what to expect. I wasn't sure if Ranger was going to arrest him or beat the crap out of him. Probably both.

By the time I made it outside, Ranger was standing next to Tank who was quickly cuffing Tavish. Tavish was breathing as though he were in pain. I took a closer look and realized he wasn't exactly standing upright, either. I decided I wasn't going to ask what happened. I preferred at the moment not to know. I looked around for any possible witnesses, but it was eerily quiet outside the Clubhouse. No valets, no people in fancy gowns, no cars with headlights shining. Only the four of us. The only sound, it seemed, was that of Tavish's labored breathing.

Ranger handed the keys to the Mercedes to Tank."Take the car back to Rangeman," Ranger told Tank."I'm going to personally see to it that gets to the police station." Ranger looked over at me."Would you rather go with Tank back to Rangeman?" He asked.

"No," I told him."I'll go with you."

Ranger loaded Tavish into a standard issue Rangeman SUV, and we took off for the station.

I looked in the rearview mirror at the now quiet Tavish sitting in the backseat, and cut my eyes to Ranger."What happened back there?"

"Mr. Tavish seemed to have a little trouble walking."

"Was this before or after you had a '_talk'_ with him?"

Ranger looked over at me."Do you really want to know?"

"No," I said, sighing,"I guess I don't."

Fifteen minutes later, we were pulling up to the Trenton PD. It was too late to use the front door, so Ranger parked close to the drop off entrance at the back of the building. I pushed the intercom button at the door, and informed the officer on duty that we had a skip to bring in while Ranger got Tavish out of the back of the SUV.

The door buzzed opened, and we escorted Tavish into the building. I hadn't thought about it on the way over here, but now I was very much aware of the way we were dressed. I'd grown up with half the people who worked here. And I've probably had some memorable encounters with the other. I knew I was in for some relentless teasing from whoever was on duty tonight. I took a deep breath, and steeled myself for what was about to happen.

We handed Tavish over to a uniformed officer. And then, while we were walking to the desk to get our body receipt, it started. A loud, shrill whistle filled the area.

"Lookin' good, Steph," Big Dog said.

I went to school with Big Dog's partner, Carl Castanza. And if Big Dog was here then, unfortunately, so was Carl. Great.

"Jeez, Steph," Carl said,"you didn't have to get all prettied up on our account."

I rolled my eyes at them, and glanced up at Ranger. The corners of his mouth were turned up ever so slightly. He thought this was funny. The jerk.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" I asked Ranger, as more people filled the hallway.

"Yes," Ranger said to me, amusement obvious in his voice.

"Hey Eddie," Carl yelled,"Come check out Steph. She must think she's in the Vegas PD or something."

Eddie Gazarra came and stood beside Carl and Big Dog."Yup," he said."Vegas for sure. What's the occasion? Are you Cluck-in-a-Bucket's three-millionth customer?" Eddie, Carl, and Big Dog all started laughing at that one.

"Shouldn't you do something?" I asked Ranger."What happened to wanting to shoot anyone who harasses me."

"They're just having a little fun, Babe," Ranger said."They're harmless."

"You're wearing a tux in case you forgot," I said to Ranger."Why aren't they having any fun at your expense?"

"They know better," Ranger said.

I gave Ranger one of my best Burg glares and placed my hands on my hips. I saw the flash of white as he smiled at me before his blank expression came down, and he turned towards Big Dog and Carl.

They looked first at Ranger then at me before gulping and finding something more pressing to do than teasing me.

"What's going on?" Another voice joined in. Shit! It was Morelli. As if things weren't going bad enough tonight.

Eddie who has known me forever, and is semi-related, wasn't as easy to intimidate. Probably he was feeling brave since he was a cop and was standing in a police station, and knew that Ranger wouldn't kill him in the middle of one."Stephanie was just dropping off a skip and she got all dressed up for the occasion," he said.

Morelli came into my line of sight. I saw his eyes dilate black, as he looked me over, before he caught himself. I snuck a peek at Ranger hoping he didn't notice the look, but he was talking to the docket lieutenant and didn't appear to notice. Of course, knowing Ranger, he was seeing and hearing everything that was going on.

Eddie finally went back to work, still laughing, and Morelli walked over to me.

"Who's the guy?" Morelli asked me.

"Steven Tavish," I told him."He's wanted for shaking down old people for money."

"And the dress?"

"We caught up with him at Senator Cambell's benefit dinner."

Morelli's eyes hardened when he spotted the bruises on my arm. He cut his eyes to Ranger.

"It wasn't Ranger," I said to Morelli."I know you two don't see eye to eye on a lot of things, but you know Ranger would never physically harm me. Jeez."

"Who was it then?" Morelli wanted to know, the line of his mouth tight.

Here we go again, I thought. I mean, I appreciate all the concern and everything, I really do, but I think there has been entirely too much testosterone flowing tonight.

"It was no big deal," I said."Tavish got a little grabby for a minute, but no one got hurt."

"You've got bruises on your arm and you're telling me no one got hurt?" Morelli said, his eyes hardening.

"I've had worse," I said. And it was true. I've been shot, burned, was chased by a drunk guy holding a chainsaw, and had my shirt lit on fire while I was still wearing it. So you can see why a few bruises on my arm wasn't anything to get upset about.

"I'm going to make sure Tavish gets to his cell okay," Morelli said after a beat.

"No! I'm pretty sure between Ranger and Tank, he doesn't need anymore lessons in etiquette tonight."

For the first time since we started talking, Morelli smiled.

"Men!" I said, in total frustration."You're all acting like cavemen. I can take care of myself, in case you've all forgotten. And if I'm not going to make a big deal out this, than neither should any of you." I said all this knowing, that if Ranger hadn't shown up when he did, I would have pushed Tavish's nuts clear up into his throat. But I figured that was different, since_ I _had a legitimate reason to hurt the guy.

Ranger got his body receipt and made his way back to me. He nodded to Morelli."Are you ready to go _home_?" He asked me.

I was pretty sure Ranger used the word home just to annoy Morelli. And seeing as how Morelli's cop face slid into place; the one that blocked out emotion, I'd say Ranger scored a direct hit.

There's a lot of professional respect between Morelli and Ranger, but beyond that there had always been an underlining competition between the two of them. They're both in law enforcement. One lives by the book. And the other lives by his own sense of right and wrong. Which, more times than not, puts them on opposing sides. And I'd have to say that the driving force for the competition is me. Not that I'm full of myself or anything. It's just that when I was with Morelli, a lot of our arguments were concerning my relationship with Ranger. Morelli had always said that Ranger was dangerous. Whether he meant a danger to our relationship or a danger to my life, I was never sure. Probably both. And I couldn't blame him, really. Ranger had tried to move in on Morelli more times than I could count. And Ranger has made his fair share of enemies over the years. So all the fights Morelli and I'd gotten into were justified. And now that I was with Ranger, the tension between the two of them has escalated.

I blew out a sigh."Yeah," I said."I'm ready."

Morelli locked eyes with me for a beat, his eyes softening."It was nice seeing you," Morelli said. And, ignoring my don't-make-a-big-deal-out-of-this speech, Morelli collected Tavish and led him away.

"What was that about?" Ranger asked me when we were back inside the Mercedes.

"What was what about?"

"Your conversation with Morelli."

"Oh, that," I said."He saw the bruises on my arm and wanted to know who put them there."

"Let me make a guess," Ranger said."He asked if I caused them?"

"Morelli knows you wouldn't do that," I thought I'd effectively avoided the question. I thought wrong.

"That's not what I'd asked," Ranger said, looking over at me.

"He might have asked something like that at first," I said."But once he calmed down, he knew you weren't responsible."

"He was probably pissed that he didn't have a reason to arrest me," Ranger said on a smile.

"That's not funny," I said."Morelli doesn't want to arrest you. He still cares about me, and he knows that arresting you wouldn't be good if he wanted to keep any good feelings between us. Or if he wanted to keep all the parts he was born with."

"Yes," Ranger said."But, Babe, my being in jail would keep me away from you. And I don't think Morelli cares right now about anything else."

"Morelli and I have been broken up for a while now," I told Ranger."He's moved on."

"Is that what you think?" Ranger asked me.

"Don't you?" I asked.

"No," Ranger said."I think he'd get back with you in a heartbeat if you showed the slightest interest."

"Well, I guess we'll never know then," I said,"because I haven't showed the slightest interest." The last thing I need right now is Ranger wanted by the police for murdering Morelli.

Ranger pulled out of the lot, and we made the ride back to Rangeman without either of us mentioning Morelli again. I didn't know if that was good or bad. I was going with good. Maybe Ranger honestly believed Morelli wasn't going to be an issue between us. I didn't care to think about any other possibilities.

Ranger turned into Rangeman, and parked the SUV in a spot near his truck. Normally the SUV would've been parked in the employee lot with the other fleet vehicles, but Ranger was all about safety. Especially _my_ safety. He wasn't about to park the SUV there, since that lot was further away from the building. I'm sure as soon as we entered the the elevator some poor Rangeman guy would have to come out and move it to it's rightful place among the multitude of shiny black cars.

We got out of the car, and Ranger wrapped an arm around me walking me to the elevator.

"Tonight was nice," I said to Ranger, leaning into him,"until we met up with Tavish."

"Yeah," Ranger said."That could have gone better."

"You do realize I would have handled him," I said, looking up at Ranger."You didn't have to step in."

"Steph," Ranger said,"he put his hands on you."

"Technically," I said to Ranger,"he had only one hand on me."

Ranger gave me a dark look.

I blew out a breath."I was trying not to cause a scene," I told him."But if he hadn't let go of me, he more than likely would've been walking funny. And he probably wouldn't have been able to father any children. You don't need to worry about me so much."

"Babe, I love you, so I'm always going to worry about you," Ranger said."You might as well get used to it."

I knew I wasn't going to win, but hearing him say that helped with the feelings of defeat.

The elevator opened on the seventh floor. Ranger unlocked his apartment door and followed me inside. I heard Ranger's keys hit the silver dish and a second later a heavy thud along side it that I was guessing was his gun. Then Ranger was pressed against my back, his arms crossed under my breasts. He kissed the nape of my neck and I shivered. I felt him smile against me when he felt my reaction to the kiss. With Ranger, it didn't take a lot.

"Now getting back to what we were discussing before we had to leave."

I smiled at that. I knew exactly what we'd been talking about. And so did my body."I don't know if I remember what we were discussing," I said to Ranger.

His lips moved to my ear."Do you need a reminder?" he asked, his voice dropping to sexy whisper.

That particular tone never failed to raise goose bumps over my entire body.

"Maybe you could give me a little hint," I said to Ranger, my voice sounding strained even to my own ears."It might come back to me."

"I think I can do better than a hint," Ranger said. He turned me in his arms, and his mouth came down on mine. I wrapped my arms around Ranger's neck and leaned into him, letting him support my weight. I felt his hands at my back, and the sound of my zipper being lowered was loud in the otherwise quiet apartment. Ranger's hands slid across my now bare skin. His hands were warm, and his touch was gentle.

"Cold?" Ranger asked me, his lips grazing mine.

"Not nearly," I said.

"Maybe we should move this to the bedroom," Ranger said.

And before I could manage an answer, Ranger scooped me up, and carried me down the hall. My arms were still around him and when he set me down, I was pressed up against him once more. Ranger slid the straps to my dress off my shoulders, and the dress pooled at my feet, leaving me in my red thong, thigh-high stockings, and four-inch heels.

Ranger looked me over slowly, his eyes darkening."You're so beautiful, Babe," he said.

"You don't look so bad yourself," I whispered. My hands moved up the wall of his chest, and I slid his jacket off of him before working the buttons of his shirt."But you're a little overdressed."

Ranger laughed softly."Steph, that's not a problem from where I'm standing."

I pressed a kiss to his now exposed chest."Well it's a problem for me," I said.

"Glad you think so," Ranger said, softly.

When my hands got to the waistband of his pants, Ranger pushed my hands away and urged me to lie back on the bed. I raised myself up my elbows and watched with interest, as Ranger stripped off his dress pants before joining me on the bed. He made short work of my remaining clothes, which was impressive because the ankle straps on my shoes were tiny. Ranger took his time. The places that he wasn't kissing on my body, his hands were touching and stroking until I felt my stomach, along with a few other places, clench impatiently. We kept our eyes locked on each other when he covered my body with his, pressing me into the mattress. As soon as Ranger started moving, I felt mine close and I was afraid they may never open again.

I was lying limply on my side with Ranger's body curled around mine. His arm was thrown across my chest, his hand lightly curled around my breast. And while his breathing was measured and even, mine was in the never-want-to-move-again range.

Ranger nuzzled my neck, kissing the spot just below my ear."You're being awfully quiet," Ranger said, against my ear.

"Talking requires moving," I said to Ranger."I don't want to move for the next fifty years."

Ranger kissed my shoulder, and his thumb brushed back and forth across my nipple. I know it was Ranger and everything, but I didn't think he could possibly have anything left.

"You can't be serious?" I said. I barely got the words out, because Ranger's hands were already skimming my body.

"I couldn't be any more serious," Ranger said, flipping me onto my back. And when his lips moved below my navel, I knew exactly how serious Ranger was.

Ranger's alarm rang shrilly in the predawn darkness. He rolled away from me and turned it off.

"Do you have to get up already?" I asked squinting in the general direction of the clock.

Ranger gathered me close to him again."I have a few minutes."

"How many minutes," I asked, kissing his jaw.

"As many as you need, Babe."

Hmm. That sounded promising. I'm not a morning person by any stretch of the imagination but, with Ranger, there are some perks to waking up early.

A half hour later, Ranger was in the shower, and I was trying hard to find the energy to get up. None of my body parts were thrilled at the thought of moving. Only knowing that Ella would be knocking on the door soon with breakfast gave me the boost I needed to roll out of bed. I debated getting dressed, but decided it was easier just to throw on a pair of sweats and a tank top. In any other place, being awake at this hour would be a miracle, never mind being dressed and coherent. But at Rangeman, everyone was up well before the sun.

Like clockwork, I heard Ella's knock at the front door. I took the breakfast tray from her and headed for the kitchen. Ella has been known to stray from the norm when I've had a more disastrous day than normal. On one particular morning, after a hostage incident with a former FTA of mine, Ella whipped up a batch of french toast for me. She thought the sugar would help me feel better, and get me through the day. And she was right! Today was one of Ranger's usual breakfast. Egg white omelet, complete with vegetables, dry whole-wheat toast, and fresh fruit beautifully sliced. Ella had taken pity on me and had made a turkey sausage and low fat cheese omelet for me instead.

I was pouring coffee when Ranger came into the kitchen. He was dressed in Rangeman gear, black cargo pants, tight black T-shirt that clung to the muscles of his chest, black Bates boots, and black gun and holster. I'd worked with Ranger for a while before we ever slept together. And I felt that I knew him pretty well. But every so often I get caught off guard by how intimidating he can actually look. He looked deadly. Even his still damp hair didn't help detract from the image.

Ranger smiled at me, his eyes crinkling a little at the corners. And he went from looking like Rambo setting off on a mission, to looking like an incredibly sexy guy whose mission was ... me.

I smiled back at him as he walked to where I was standing at the little kitchen bar. He dropped a light kiss on my mouth, and sat down in the stool next to me.

"You look like you'll be out on the street today," I said to Ranger.

"I have a few accounts to check on, but I should be back in the office by lunchtime," Ranger said."If you don't have any plans, we can have lunch together."

"Sounds good," I said."I'm going to have to check in first at the office. If Connie doesn't have anything urgent for me, I'll meet you back here."

Ranger spooned up some fresh fruit onto his plate and I loaded up a piece of toast with fruit for when I finished my omelet, thinking that was as close to a dessert as I was going to get here, and we dug in.

"So, what's up with our dinner date?" I asked Ranger.

"He'll probably be in court this morning," Ranger said."From what I hear, if he does manage to make bail, it'll be set too high for him to pay."

"Just for stealing money from people?" It sounded a little extreme in my opinion. I've seen murderers, and gang members make bail. And very low bail half the time.

"Although he's never been convicted, he has had murder charges brought against him," Ranger said to me.

"I guess that makes sense," I said.

I'm not exactly sure what he was planning on doing to me last night if he'd gotten me alone. And I _was_ getting some scary vibes from him, but he just looks so_ normal. _All that blond hair and big smile. Of course, he wasn't smiling when he had hold of my arm.

"Earth to, Babe," Ranger said to me.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts."I was thinking," I said to Ranger.

"That's always dangerous."

"Very funny."

"How's your arm feeling?" Ranger asked, reaching for my wrist, and looking down at my arm.

"It's a little sore, but it's nothing to fuss over," I said to him."I seem to recall getting shot in the arm, and you telling me I only needed a Band-Aid. And now you're concerned over a couple little bruises?"

"They aren't all that little, Babe," Ranger said, still holding my arm, kissing the inside of my wrist.

"But they are _just_ bruises," I said."And I have a feeling that Tavish is in more pain than me this morning."

"He's a big boy," Ranger said."He can take it."

"Hmm," I said. I wish I could say that I felt sorry for him, but I didn't.

Ranger pressed a kiss to my knuckles before returning my hand to the table. He finished the last of his coffee and stood."I have to get to work."

I stood, too, and followed him to the door.

"I'll call if I can't make it back," Ranger said to me.

"Sure."

Ranger picked up his keys with his left hand, and used a fingertip of his right hand to tilt my face up. He kissed me gently before pulling away.

"Later, Babe," Ranger said, closing the door behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Warnings for language.**

I took a shower, blow dried my hair, and made an attempt at putting makeup on. I got dressed in my hunting-down-bad-guy clothes, just in case I had to, and was ready for the day. Well, sort of. If I had my way I'd crawl back under the blanket in Ranger's comfy bed, but that wasn't going to help me get my rent paid. I grabbed my bag and car keys and headed out.

"Uh-huh," Lula said when I swung into the office ten minutes later."I know that look. Only one thing puts that look on your face."

"I got an early start this morning," I told her.

"I'd get an early start, too, if I woke up with Ranger next to me," Connie said.

"Yeah," Lula said."I'm guessing this early start had less to do with business, and more to do with pleasure. I tell you, if I had that man in my bed, _nothin'_ ... not an alien invasion, the end of the world, or shoe sale at Macy's, would get _me_ out of it."

"Well Ranger does have to go to work," I said to Lula,"so you'd have some time to say hello to the aliens, save the world, or go shopping for shoes."

"Hunh," Lula said."I hadn't thought of that." She narrowed her eyes at me."Wait a minute, are you making fun of me?"

"A little," I said to her, but I knew it_ was _hard to leave a bed that Ranger was in.

"What's with the bruises?" Lula asked me.

I looked down at the ugly smudges that stood out plainly against my pale skin."Things didn't go quite the way I had planned," I told her.

"I see that," Lula said to me."That old people swindler is probably hurting this morning if Ranger saw those bruises on you."

I didn't want to go over everything that happened last night, but I knew I'd have to give them at least a brief overview of how the capture went.

"We had a hard time spotting Tavish in the mass of people, and Ranger thought we'd have a better view of the room from the dance floor."

"Hold up here," Lula said."You _danced_ with Ranger?"

"Yup."

"Uh-oh," Lula said."I think I just wet myself."

"I can't picture Ranger dancing?" Connie said.

"He's good," I told them.

"'Course he's good," Lula said."That man is good at damn near everything. He's like a superhero or something."

I've often found myself thinking the same thing about Ranger.

"He should have taken me," Lula was saying."I could dance your ass off."

"No doubt," I said to Lula. I was pretty sure Ranger wouldn't fair well if Lula ever managed to get him in a full-body hold.

"Did you catch the guy?" Connie asked.

"Yeah. While Ranger and I were dancing, Steven Tavish was standing off to the side watching us."

"Why was he watching you? Did he recognize you or Ranger?"

"No," I said."He seemed to be flirting with me. He smiled, and tipped his drink to me."

"Bet that went over big," Connie said.

"I didn't tell Ranger that part," I told Connie.

"Smart choice," Lula said.

"Anyway, we lost track of him for a while, and since he seemed friendly towards me, I thought if I walked around alone he might show up."

"Looks like he did," Connie said.

"Yeah. It seems he'd seen me walk in, and had been watching me all night."

Lula shivered."That's just plain creepy. I don't know what it is with you, but you got a knack for attractin' nutcases."

I'd like to deny it, but Lula was right. I don't have a lot of interaction with normal people in my day-to-day life, but nutcases on the other hand ...

"Then what happened?"

"I bumped into him in the foyer," I said."He was acting nice at first, but for some reason I started to feel uncomfortable. And when I tried to get away from him and find Ranger, Tavish grabbed my arm. He was starting to pull me outside when Ranger appeared behind him."

"Yep," Lula said."He's hurting for sure."

"Ranger and I dropped him off at the police station a half hour later."

"Good thing Morelli wasn't on duty at the the time," Connie said.

"Yeah," Lula added."This guy got lucky. If Morelli saw those, too, this Tavish moron would have accidentally fallen down the station stairs a few times."

"Well ..."

Lula's eyes went wide."Morelli was there?"

"Not at first," I said,"but some of Trenton's finest were having a great time making fun of me for bringing in a skip wearing an evening gown. Morelli heard all the noise, and came out to see what was going on."

"Maybe you should check St. Francis and see if Tavish ever made it there," Connie said.

"I told him the same thing that I told Ranger, it's not that big of a deal."

"And I'm gonna bet Morelli did what Ranger did, and ignored you," Lula said."Am I right?"

I blew out a sigh."Yes."

"I tell you, you got some life," Lula said to me, shaking her head."You have plenty of bad luck, but them two guys make up for all of if you ask me."

I hadn't asked her, but I managed to stop myself from pointing that out.

"Enough about last night," I said to them."Do you have anything else for me?" I asked Connie."I've had no luck with the ones I have so far."

Connie shifted some files around on her desk."I do, if I can find them."

"Is that a crack about my filing system?" Lula asked.

"You don't have a system," Connie said to her."Unless you count ignoring them until they mysteriously file themselves."

"Hunh," Lula said."I'll have you know, I can out file anyone who worked here.''

"Even Melvin Pickle?" Connie asked.

Melvin worked at the bonds office for a short time before being bribed away by another bonds agency.

"Well he might be the one exception," Lula said.

"Yeah, right," Connie said, handing two files over to me."These just came in, so you've got some time."

I paged through the files."No homicidal rapists? Or serial ax murderers?" I asked Connie.

"Nope," Connie said."That's the good news. The bad news is that they aren't worth a whole lot."

I didn't care. So I would have to eat more meals at my parents' house. I was pretty sure I'd be able to put up with my family as opposed to getting shot at. Probably. Maybe.

"What do we got?" Lula asked me, looking over my shoulder at the files.

"Looks like another drunken exhibitionists and a nineteen-year-old stoner who has a habit of stealing his parents' car."

"That don't sound too bad," Lula said."But why do all the drunk guys gotta be naked? I've seen more peckers working here than I have during my former profession."

Lula was a 'ho on Stark Street prior to working for Vinnie, so that was saying something.

"What are the chances one of these guys is just sitting at home just waiting for a ride to court?"

"Are we talking about your luck here?" Connie asked, smiling."Another bounty hunter would have better odds."

"What's the hurry?" Lula asked."You got somewhere to be?"

"I was going to meet Ranger for lunch if there wasn't anything pressing going on here," I told her."I just thought it would be a nice change of pace to earn some money before I did."

"Where'd that come from," Lula said."We've picked up lots of people."

"I guess, but I'd like to be able to do it without looking like idiots," I said to Lula."You know, without any screw ups."

"We can do that," Lula said, picking up her bag and settling it on her shoulder."Let's go."

"Let's go, where?"

"Seems you need a confidence boost or something, so we're going to go get one of these scumbags."

"Bring me back something from the bakery," Connie said.

"What makes you think we're going to stop at the bakery?" Lula asked.

"You always get doughnuts when things don't go well."

I gave Lula a see I-told-you-we-stink-at-this look, which Lula ignored."I just finished having breakfast at Rangeman."

"What's that got to do with anything?" Lula asked, heading for the door."There's always room for doughnuts."

I pulled out my car keys and followed Lula out of the building. As much as I hate to admit it, Lula was right. I really could use a doughnut right about now, I thought, sliding behind the wheel of the Mercedes.

We pulled into the Tasty Pastry lot, and climbed out of the car. I was telling myself that I was only going to get one doughnut, but five minutes later, Lula and I walked out of the bakery each with bag full of doughnuts worth at least a thousand calories. Hey, who knows. I might actually find one of my skips, and then I would need the extra calories to chase him down. It could happen.

Lula settled into the Mercedes and pulled out a doughnut."So who do you want to try for first?" She asked me."I say we go for the old pervert guy. I don't really want to see him naked, but it beats trying to run after an twenty-year-old. And besides, I heard that it's bad to run around right after eating."

I cut my eyes to her."You could care less about digestion," I said to Lula."You just don't want to have to chase anyone."

"Your ass," Lula said."Do you want to chase some punk kid all the hell over the place?"

"Okay we'll try the pervert," I told her. I didn't really want to run after anyone, either."His home address is in Hamilton Township. We'll check that out first. It's closer anyway."

We tried home addresses, places of employment, or place of employment; since only one of them was employed, parents' houses, and high school friends. Three hours later, we came up empty. I slumped a little lower in my seat, so much for earning a living. As I turned onto Hamilton and came up on the bakery Lula spoke.

"Pull over, I was just thinkin' we needed more doughnuts," Lula said to me."Someone's gone and ate Connie's."

"That would be you," I said to Lula.

"Well who asks someone to pick up doughnuts without expecting them to get eaten?"

"Connie?"

"Yeah, well, she should know better," Lula said, getting out of the car.

Lula stocked up on more doughnuts, and we made the two minute drive back to the office. Having skipped the doughnuts this time, I didn't want to tempt myself, so I dropped Lula and the doughnuts off at the bonds office without staying to talk.

I drove through the center of the city to Haywood Street, keyed myself into the underground garage, and parked next to Ranger's Cayenne. I took the elevator to the seventh floor, and sent a small smile to the guys in the control room.

Ranger was at his desk when I let myself into the apartment. He stood when I came into the room, and kissed me before sitting back down."I didn't think you were going to make it," Ranger said to me."I take it Connie had someone for you?"

I blew out a sigh."Yep," I said, plopping myself down in the chair across from his desk.

"Am I right in assuming something happened that wasn't good?" He asked me.

"Lula and I decided to go after two FTAs."

"And?"

"We came up empty handed on both counts."

"There's always tomorrow."

"True." Now I could look forward to not finding them all over again.

Ranger crossed the room to me, pulled me out of my chair, and wrapped me in his arms."Would you like me to take your mind off of it?"

A shot of lust started in my stomach and headed south. My first thought was _Yes! _But then reality set in."I thought we were having lunch?"

"Babe," Ranger said,"there's _all kinds_ of lunch."

I felt my face flush. I knew exactly what kind of lunch Ranger had in mind."Do you have the afternoon free?"

"No," Ranger said, against my neck."I have a meeting in a half hour."

"Well, we can't do anything aside from eat lunch then," I said to Ranger. It's sad when, between the two of us, I become the rational one.

Ranger's lips were skimming my ear. I put a few inches between us before I forgot my point. Ranger was very good in close.

"You seem to have a one track mind," I said to Ranger.

"Only with you, Babe."

I made a point of looking at my watch."There's not enough time to do what you want to do," I told him.

"Yes, but I'm good," Ranger said."And I'm motivated. Time wouldn't be an issue."

"Easy for you to say."

"It's _very_ easy for me to say."

And the truth is ... he was right. Women practically had orgasms just _standing_ next to Ranger.

"I'm not going to convince you, am I?" Ranger asked.

"No. I wouldn't be able to concentrate with a time limit."

Ranger closed the space between us."Steph," Ranger said, his voice dropping to a whisper that sent a shiver down my spine."I would be so good to you, you wouldn't need to concentrate."

Now it wasn't just my face that was warm. I took a step back from him. Again.

Ranger did what for him was a sigh, took my hand, and tugged me toward the kitchen."Ella brought up a tray just before you got here."

There was a pot of vegetable stew sitting on the counter along with a fresh loaf of homemade bread. I ladled out the stew while Ranger cut slices of bread. We took our plates to the breakfast bar and sat down.

After a few minutes I looked over at Ranger."How was your morning?" I asked him.

"Productive."

I'm glad somebody's was. I pushed the thought away. No use dwelling on it.

"That's good," I said, still feeling a little depressed.

"Babe," Ranger said,"give yourself a break, you always manage to get your man in the end."

I looked up at Ranger. He was smiling, and I wasn't sure if he was talking about my skips or him. I guess it didn't matter.

"You're right," I said."Maybe I'll try again after lunch."

"Is Lula going to be with you?"

"Probably," I said."Why? I didn't think you considered Lula bodyguard material."

"Since you'd rather have your fingernails pulled out one by one than carry your gun," Ranger said,"I, at least, know that Lula is carrying."

I cringed at the fingernail thing, but he was right. I hated my gun. And Lula was always carrying. Lula carried an arsenal. Knives, two guns ... minimum, Taser, stun gun. She couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, but she was always prepared to try.

"You have the Mercedes monitored," I said to him,"I'll have backup if I need it. Besides none of my FTAs have a history of being violent."

Ranger was doing that staring thing again. I think instead of all the warnings about how he couldn't do relationships, or that he worked long hours, or that he wasn't family material, he should have mentioned his excessive need to take care of me. I blew out a sigh."Fine," I said."I'll call Lula before I leave. Has any one ever told you that you're a bit overprotective?"

Ranger went back to the small smile."Been called worse."

Ranger caught me rolling my eyes at him."Babe, with the exception of Julie, I've never had something as important as you in my life. I have no desire to return to my pre-Stephanie days. I want to make sure that nothing can take you away from me."

I looked up at the ceiling willing the moisture to get reabsorbed before I started blubbering like an idiot. Ranger was always doing that to me. One minute I wanted to smack him for being so impossible, and the next minute I wanted to crawl into his lap and never leave.

"You don't have to worry about that," I told him."Even if you took my key fob back, and hired more Rangeman, you couldn't keep me away from you."

"Promise?"

"Yep," I said, leaning over and pressing a soft kiss to his lips.

When our lunch was finished, Ranger pushed back from the table and stood. I cleaned up the dishes while Ranger grabbed some paperwork from his office. I met him at the door a few minutes later.

"I might be late for dinner," Ranger said."I going to hit the gym and squeeze in a workout. I wouldn't want to get fat on you."

I looked Ranger over. I didn't think that was_ ever _going to be a problem. Not only doesn't Ranger have _any_ fat on him, I didn't think his body made fat cells to begin with.

"That sounds like fun," I said to him.

Ranger cut his eyes to me."Did I just here you say working out would be fun?"

"Nope." Like I would _ever _say that. There aren't a whole lot of things I hate more than exercise. Spiders maybe ... or Joyce Barnhardt."You heard me say that I'd think it would be fun to watch _you _work out."

"Babe," Ranger said, smiling at me. He wrapped an arm around me and pulled me back against him."You're welcome to watch me do anything," Ranger said, softly."But I think participating would be even better."

I knew by the tone of his voice that Ranger wasn't talking about exercise. Now that I think about it, sex on a regular basis, especially with Ranger, could be considered a workout. And it was way more fun, too.

"Nice try," I said to him."But the only way to get me in the gym would be as a spectator."

"Sorry," Ranger said."But you watching the men workout would probably cause some competitions. Not to mention a lot of problems I don't want to have to deal with."

"You're concerned that I'd see one of your men show you up?"

"No chance of that, Babe," Ranger said, not sounding the least bit modest."I was talking about the fights that might start when the men start showing off in front of you."

I hadn't thought of that. Do men _ever_ grow up? I thought that's the sort of thing they'd outgrow after high school.

"Okay," I said to Ranger,"you're the boss. If you tell me to stay out of the gym, I'll stay out of the gym."

Ranger smiled down at me. I was amusing him."That's not exactly what I said."

"Close enough," I said.

He backed me against the wall, leaned his body into me, and proceeded to kiss the living daylights out of me. My hands fisted in his shirt and I wasn't sure if I was holding myself up, or if I was trying to pull him closer. Ranger let me go a few moments later, and I quickly sucked in some air. See, who needs a gym? My heartrate was already way up.

"I'll see you tonight," Ranger said, against my mouth."If you decide to go out again ... be careful. Hal will be watching for you."

"I told you, I'll have Lula with me. You don't need to make Hal babysit me."

"You forget, Babe, I'm the boss," Ranger said."I can make Hal do anything I want. And I want to make sure you come home to me in one piece."

I suppose that was sweet in a unreasonable, macho, kind of way."I'll be careful."

Ranger drop a light kiss on my mouth, picked up his files, and left.

Connie was alone when I walked through the bonds office door for the second time. I was only gone a little over an hour so I assumed Lula would still be here. I should have taken into consideration her dislike for actual work. If there was something that need to be done in the office, Lula could usually be found elsewhere.

"Where's Lula?" I asked Connie.

Connie gave me a disgusted look."Where do you think?" Connie said, shoving a large stack of files out of her way."She said she was going to pick up lunch, but she hasn't come back yet." Connie looked at her watch."That was forty-five minutes ago. How long does it take to go through a drive-thru?"

Depends on who the person is, I thought. And if they're trying to avoid anything. Lula's been known to stay away from the office for an entire day unless food, or an interesting case, came in.

"I was going to go out looking for these guys again," I said to Connie."I thought Lula would want to come with me." Better not to say that Ranger wanted me to have an armed partner, even settling for Lula. It was too embarrassing.

"Good luck," Connie said."You could be waiting here all day. She hasn't been answering her cell, either."

Well, now what? I did a mental rundown of my choices. Stay here and do nothing. Go back to Rangeman, or my apartment, and do nothing. Or risk upsetting Ranger and go out alone? I figured I'd deal better with being lectured than being bored. Me with time on my hands is_ never _a good thing.

I hiked my bag up on my shoulder."I'm off," I said to Connie.

"Maybe you'll have better luck without Lula tagging along," Connie said.

I thought I'd have better luck without _me_ tagging along.

I stepped out of the bond's office and into the sunshine. I was taking this as a positive sign. The sun was out. It was warm, but not humid. There were no clouds in the sky. And my mother hadn't called me yet today. All good things.

I buckled myself into the Mercedes and pointed it toward Bordentown. My thinking was, by doing the opposite of my last trip out, I'd have better luck. So I thought I'd start with the stoner.

I drove down Thompson Street, coming up on the run down two family house that was listed as Rodney Petrecca's home address. The street was blue collar a few years ago, but times were tough. And the street had been taken over by people just trying to survive. The left side of the house was pale beige aluminum siding. The right, old brick. It had street parking and there was nothing I could do to make the Mercedes blend into this neighborhood, so I parked one house over on the opposite side of the street.

After about ten minutes, two guys came out of the beige side. I flipped open the file that I had with me on Petrecca, looking at the picture. Yep. One of the guys was my skip. Rodney Petrecca looked like someone I could handle on my own. Baby face, slightly out of shape, preppy-style clothes. The friend looked like trouble.

I double checked my stun gun that was in my bag to make sure the battery was still working, just in case I needed it, and got out of my car. Rodney had his back to me, talking, and didn't notice me coming up behind him. His friend, on the other hand, was noticingme_ too _much. I was wearing jeans, a blue stretchy girl-cut T-shirt, and sneakers. Not exactly what I'd call a sexy outfit, but he was leering anyway.

"Well," the friend said,"look who we have here. You're that bounty hunter bitch that keeps burning down places."

Okay, so I've burned down a few buildings. And the cars around me tend to burst into flames. But most of the time it hadn't been my fault."Bond enforcement," I said to Petrecca, who was now looking at me with wide eyes."You need to come down to the station with me and get rebonded."

"Don't listen to her, Rodney," the friend said."She's going to bring you to the police station and they'll lock you up. My uncle fell for that shit, and he's still sitting in jail."

It seemed my job was going to be a little more difficult than I thought. I hadn't planned on a friend with a big mouth working against me.

"It's no big deal," I said to Rodney, using my best this-is-a-load-of-crap voice."I'll call Vinnie on the way over, and he'll meet us there and you'll be out in no time."

Rodney looked unsure. I think if he'd been alone, he'd have come with me. But with someone else there, he had to show some bravado.

"I'm not going to jail," Rodney said."And you can't make me."

I blew out a sigh. I was right about him being someone I could handle. I used that same line constantly on my mother during my high school years. Turns out, she _could_ make me. And I _could_ make Petrecca.

"You heard him," the friend said."He's not going. And I don't think you'll be going anywhere, either," his eyes straying from me to where I had parked the Mercedes.

"Look," I said, fighting the urge to use my stun gun on the friend just to shut him up."You'll have to go down to the station at some point. You can do it the easy way by coming with me. Or the hard way, in the back of a cruiser. Your choice."

"There's another choice," the friend said.

I would have picked up on the change in his tone if I'd had been paying more attention to him, instead of trying to convince Rodney to come with me willingly. And I would have been able to stop him. As it was, the little jerk gave me a two-handed shove to the chest, knocking me backwards. It was so unexpected, that I didn't have a chance to react. I felt my head bounce off of the concrete, and for a moment I saw stars.

When I was able to focus again, I could see Rodney looking down at me, a worried look on his face, not sure if he should help me up or run.

"Don't be such a pussy, Rodney!" The friend yelled, taking off toward the Mercedes."Get the hell out of here before you get locked up again!"

I blinked a couple times, taking a few moments to make sure I'd be able to get myself vertical and stay that way. Rodney must have panicked, because I could hear the sound of car doors being opened.

I got to my feet just in time to watch the friend take off in my Mercedes, and Rodney jump into his seen-better-days Honda Civic, barely getting the door closed before spinning his tires in his haste to get away. Lucky for me, I wasn't hurt aside from a bump on the back of my head. And I had been smart enough to take my shoulder bag with me so I could at least call for help, since it appears that I was now car-less.

I was digging in my bag, looking for my stupid cell phone, when I heard a loud crash. I've had enough experience with cars getting destroyed that I knew the sound pretty well. Rodney ran the stop sign turning onto 3rd Street and got nailed by another vehicle. I looked toward the end of the street and blew out a sigh. I guess I wouldn't need to call anyone after all. I could already hear sirens on their way. I jogged the short distance to the accident, wanting to make sure no one was hurt. Okay, yeah, maybe I was hoping that Petrecca would be knocked unconscious in the crash, and that I would be able to get my money for hauling him in. But I did want to make sure everyone involved was okay, so I wasn't totally insensitive, right?

I could see right away that no one was seriously injured. The Civic, on the other hand, was toast. The driver's side got hit pretty hard, and I was afraid the car might catch fire, since most of the damage was done to the rear of the car close to the gas tank. Petrecca quickly stumbled out of the smashed car. He was breathing hard, but otherwise looked okay. The guy in the SUV, seemed to have fared better. Both in breathing issues and vehicle damage. There was a small dent in his fender, but that was all I could see. The guy got back into his SUV and backed it away from Petrecca's Civic, obviously thinking along the same line as I was. His car was fine now, but probably wouldn't survive an explosion.

I hurried to the driver's side of the Civic and cuffed Petrecca's hands behind his back, dragging him away from the car. I was moving quickly partly out of fear of a potential fire, and partly because I was worried the other driver would kill him before the police arrived. The guy was back out on the street, swearing, his face red with anger. He closed in on us and I sent up a prayer that the police would get here soon. I could handle Rodney Petrecca but this guy, who looked like he broke knee caps for a living, I wasn't so sure about. I had a stun gun and pepper spray in my bag, but I'd have to let go of Rodney to get to them. His breathing had returned to normal, but his eyes, instead of being glassy were panicky. Never a good sign. I didn't trust him not to run if I let go.

"What the fuck's wrong with you?" The driver, yelled."Can't you watch where you're fucking going? I'm already running late today, and now I'm going to be stuck talking to the fucking cops for an hour because some fucking kid was too stupid to look before pulling out!" He stopped his tirade because the car suddenly burst into flames.

We all took a few steps back and the guy looked like he was ready to pick up the yelling where he had left off. Fortunately for me, a squad car pulled up. Unfortunately for me, Ranger's Porsche Cayenne was behind the cruiser. I'm assuming Hal in the control room heard the call go out on the scanner, and noticed that the tracking device in my bag didn't match the one that was on my car and informed Ranger.

I knew some of the officers in Bordentown, but the two that had gotten out of the police car, I didn't recognize. Probably better for me that way. Less humiliating gossip.

"What's going on?" The officer asked me, noting the cuffs attached to Petrecca's wrists.

"This guy is FTA," I said to them."He bolted when he found out I was here to bring him in and ran the stop sign."

"Stephanie Plum, right?" The other officer asked."I've heard of you."

Oh great. Nobody ever hears good things about me, only the embarrassing stuff.

"You were going with Joe Morelli for a while, too," he said."I played football a few times with him."

We were standing next to a flaming car with a guy in cuffs, another guy who looked like his head was going to explode in anger, and the conversation turned to my love life. I couldn't catch a break.

"Yeah," I said."Joe and were together for a while."

"He's a cool guy."

"Mmm-hmm," I said. It was a good thing Joe and I broke up, otherwise I think I'd have some competition here.

He stuck his hand out."Mike Antonitto," he said, shaking my hand."This is Officer Picanco," he said gesturing to the uniform next to him.

I tried not to sound impatient, but I had other fish to fry. Like dragging Petrecca to the Trenton PD, dealing with Ranger, thinking about a new job ...

"Nice to meet you," I said to them."I guess I'll be going now if you don't need a statement from me."

"You're free to go," Antonitto said."Do you want us to take him in with us," he asked me.

"That's okay," I told him, gesturing towards Ranger."I've got a ride."

Antonitto looked to where Ranger was leaning against the Cayenne, and gave me a knowing smile before saying goodbye. Everybody knew Ranger. And I had no doubt that by the time I hit Trenton, everyone will have heard about the accident.

Antonitto and Picanco, notebooks in hand, went to talk to the driver of the SUV. I took a deep breath, and dragged Petrecca to Ranger's Cayenne, hoping that having another person in the car with us would give me a little time to think of how to explain this to him. If Lula had been with me, she probably would have squished the friend like a bug into the pavement a second after he started to run and I'd still have my car. And I probably wouldn't have a lump forming on the back of my head, either.

Ranger opened the back door for me, and I settled Petrecca into the back seat. As soon as I got the door closed, Ranger broke his silence.

"You promised me that you weren't going to go out alone," Ranger said to me, finally, hands on hips.

His face didn't show much, but his body was shooting out anger rays."Well," I said, thinking back on our conversation,"I promised to call Lula. I didn't say what I would do if she wasn't available."

Ranger's eyes narrowed slightly. Never a good sign.

"What was I supposed to do?" I asked him."Lula wasn't in the office when I got there. And she wasn't answering her cell."

"You could have called the control room," Ranger said."And Bobby or Lester would have gone with you."

"That would have been wimpy. After all, I was after a car thief, not a homicidal maniac." If I_ had _gotten a homicidal maniac, instead of a Rangeman going with me, I'd have insisted he go _instead_ of me.

"A car thief can use a gun just as well as a gang member or drug dealer," Ranger said."And just because nothing has happened yet, you can't forget the danger I've put you in just by being with you. I've upset a lot of people, Steph. And I can't rule out someone using you to get to me. That's one of the main reasons I don't want you to go out alone if you can help it."

"I'm being careful, but we can't live our lives based on what if's," I said."And I'm not going to give you up because of enemies you might have, but I also can't be tracked every second of the day. We're going to have to figure out a compromise on some things." Maybe I should just carry my stupid gun, and even learn how to shoot it, then I could avoid these conversations. I looked at the now empty spot where my car had been."I'm sorry about the Mercedes."

"The monitor that we placed on it is still working," Ranger said."Hal has already sent someone out after it."

I tried to feel bad for what would most likely happen to Rodney's friend once Ranger's men caught up with him, but my head was starting to pound, and I wasn't feeling all that charitable.

Ranger settled me into the passenger seat of the Cayenne, and then slid behind the wheel. I knew I wasn't off the hook, but Ranger had given me a reprieve. At least, I assume, until we got back to his apartment.

Rodney was quiet on the drive to the police station. No doubt scared that nobody would bond him out again after today's incident.

Joe Juniak was standing with Carl, and Big Dog, when we walked into the station. Juniak had been rising quickly through the ranks of the Trenton PD, and has since moved on to trying to take over the world.

"How've you been, Steph?" Carl asked me, after one of the uniforms took Petrecca off to holding."We haven't seen you in so long. Been keeping yourself busy?"

"Very funny," I said to him. At least, this time, I was in jeans. I wasn't covered in garbage. And the guy I brought in wasn't naked. All in all, for me, this was a pretty good capture. Well, except for my head and the stolen and burnt up cars.

"We heard about the accident," Juniak said."You've finally learned to destroy other peoples' cars, instead of your own. Good for you."

While it was true that I hadn't destroyed the Mercedes, I didn't exactly have it in my possession, either. If I mentioned the car now, I'd never hear the end of it.

"About time," Carl added.

"It's been a while since you've exploded anything," Big Dog said.

Carl bobbed his head in agreement."It's been weeks."

"Too bad you weren't in Trenton instead of Bordentown," Big Dog said."We're starting to miss being called out because of you."

"I'll work on it," I said to them.

Ranger filled them in on the details of the accident and the stolen Mercedes.

I felt my body instantly tense when I spotted Morelli. He was talking to another officer, but his eyes were on me. He finished his conversation, and crossed the room to where I was standing. I felt a knot form in my stomach at the thought of Morelli and Ranger sharing the same breathing space.

As Morelli got closer he stared pointedly at the hand Ranger had resting on my hip, and the line of his mouth tightened. He clearly wasn't happy about the hand, or the placement of it on my person, but he didn't comment. He gave a stiff nod to Ranger in acknowledgement, then focused his attention on me.

"Are you okay?" He asked me.

"Yep," I said."Just another one of those days."

"With you, I believe it."

I couldn't tell if I heard affection in his voice or relief. Probably both. He was no longer the first person called when I was involved in some sort of disaster.

The docket lieutenant finished my capture receipt."I'll be right back," Ranger said.

"I'll be here," I said, wishing I was anywhere but here, standing in this police station, right now.

Morelli's eyes followed Ranger as he walked away, before turning back to me."So ... how are you?"

"I'm good," I said.

"You've been here twice this week," Morelli said to me."This is a record, since I haven't seen you around lately."

"I've been real busy," I told him. And I _have_ been busy. But the truth was, I was trying to avoid places where I thought I would bump into Joe. Maybe _avoid_ was too strong of a word, but I wasn't trying to run into him, either.

"Vinnie's been bonding people out like crazy," I told Morelli."Connie said Lucille wants a new swimming pool this year."

Lucille is Vinnie's wife. She's also the daughter of Harry-the-Hammer who owns the bond's office, and Vinnie. If Lucille wants a pool, then Vinnie had better come up with the money for a pool, otherwise Lucille wouldn't be happy. And if Lucille's not happy, Harry's not happy. And that's very bad for Vinnie. So he's been bonding people out that he normally wouldn't.

"Umm ...," I said to Morelli, trying to think of something to say."How have you been?"

"Busy, too," Morelli said."I'm working double shifts so I haven't had a lot of free time for anything other than work."

I was sure by now that I would be hearing about how he's picked up where he left off; sleeping with the other half of the women in Trenton he hadn't gotten to in high school, but all he was doing was working. I had to admit, I was a little confused as to why, but there was no way I was going to ask. I told myself that the answer wouldn't be important anyway.

"How's Bob?" I asked instead.

"Bob is Bob," Morelli said, smiling."I made the mistake of being late one day last week, and he ate a couch cushion and two sneakers."

Bob was Morelli's entirely loveable, shaggy, orange-haired dog. We share the similar affliction of eating everything around us, but I at least stick to bakery items and fried takeout. Bob eats _everything. _Mostly furniture, clothes, and the occasional bag of garbage.

Ranger came back with my receipt."Are you ready to go?" He asked me.

"Yes."

Morelli looked like he wanted to say something, but decided against it."See you," he said, quietly. And walked away.

I blew out a breath that I wasn't aware I'd been holding.

"That go okay?" Ranger asked me.

"It could have gone worse," I said.

With his hand at the small of my back, Ranger ushered me out of the station and into the fresh Jersey air. Okay, fresh might be a stretch, but even the polluted Trenton air felt good on my face.

The tension in the police station combined with the bright sunlight, after being in the low-lit building, was starting to cause my head to throb more. I felt around a little with my fingers, wincing when I connected with a grape-sized bump.

Ranger cut his eyes to me."Are you hurt?" He asked, stepping close to me.

"It's just a little bump," I told him."I'm okay. Good thing I have a hard head, right?" I was shooting for playful, trying not to make a big deal out of it since it was caused by my own stupidity, but Ranger wasn't playing along.

He brushed my hands away, and replaced them with his."Let me see it," he said. His touch was warm, and his fingers gentle, as he checked out the damage.

"Why didn't you tell me you were injured?"

"Oh, I don't know," I said to him."Maybe it has something to do with you being overprotective and not believing that I can handle things on my own."

Ranger ignored my sarcasm."What happened?"

I grimaced."I was trying to talk Petrecca into coming with me on his own, but his friend was yelling at him to run and ..."

"The guy who took off in the Mercedes?" Ranger asked.

"Yep," I said."He shoved me, and I fell backwards. Before I could catch myself, my head connected with the curb."

Ranger's fingers were still moving gently on my head, but I could see his eyes darken. And not in a good way. I was hoping, for the friends' sake, that Ranger's men had him safely turned over to the cops before Ranger got a hold of him.

"It was my fault," I said."It wouldn't have happened if I'd have been paying more attention."

"It wasn't your fault he pushed you, Babe," Ranger said to me, wrapping an arm around me, cuddling me into him.

"I know, but ..."

"Maybe he had a warrant out on him and was afraid he'd get brought in, too."

Damn. Why hadn't I thought of that? "I could have brought in two guys at the same time," I said."That would have been great." And it would have gone a long way to finally proving to myself that I_ was _a good bounty hunter. Or, at the very least, a mediocre one.

Ranger pulled back to look at me, his expression bemused."You've got a good-size bump on the back of your head and no car, and you're upset about not making a second apprehension?"

"Yes. I don't know the guy's name, but I'd recognize him if I saw him," I said to Ranger."I'll check with Connie when I go to the bonds office to pick up my capture check. Unless he's with the Mercedes when you find it. Then I wouldn't have to worry about him." I wasn't so sure I wanted him caught by Ranger's men. I could always use the extra money if he was, in fact, FTA.

Ranger gave his head a barely imperceptible shake. Like he couldn't quite believe what he was hearing.

"What?" I asked.

Ranger pressed a kiss to my forehead."This is why I love you," he said.

"Because I wasn't paying attention?" I asked him, thinking I must have missed something in the conversation.

"No. Because you're resilient," Ranger said."You've been hurt. You've lost your car. And you're already planning to get the guy who did it."

"Isn't that what I'm supposed to do?"

"Yes," Ranger said."But you're a special case."

I let that one go."Let's back up a second," I said, thinking back on what Ranger had said."You love me because I'm _resilient_?" I asked. That didn't sound at all flattering."What about loving me because I'm intelligent? Or gorgeous? Or fun to be around?" I didn't really believe I was any of those, but I wouldn't mind Ranger thinking I was.

Ranger kissed me lightly on the lips."Those, too," he said, quietly.

Good enough, I thought. I pressed my lips to his and felt Ranger's arms tighten around me.

Carl, and Big Dog, ambled out of the station."Hey you two," Carl yelled,"get a room!"

I took a step back from Ranger, and rolled my eyes at Carl."We were just leaving," I said to him.

"Yeah," Big Dog said with a wink,"we can see that."

I had the childish urge to stick my tongue out at them, but I squelched it. Probably it wouldn't help my professional image. And I wasn't sure I wanted to hear the jokes Carl and Big Dog would no doubt come up with if I did.

Ranger opened the Cayenne door for me, and I slid into the passenger seat, settling myself into the cushy leather. Ranger angled behind the wheel, and drove out of the lot.

Ranger's cell rang when we were halfway to Rangeman. Ranger looked at the readout."Hal," Ranger said to me, before opening the connection. He listened for a moment, not saying anything."Where is he now?" He asked Hal. He waited a moment more, then disconnected. He looked back over at me.

"Roy and Miguel caught up with your guy at a chop shop on Stark," Ranger said."The Mercedes is fine and is being brought back to Rangeman. The guy is on his way to the police station. His name is Robby Coletto. He has no outstanding warrants on him, but he does have a record. Looks like he was just after some quick cash. You, and the Mercedes, just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Story of my life.

I was happy about the car, but I was hoping to get my hands on this guy myself. Oh well, Stephanie, I thought to myself, you can't have everything. Just be happy you got your car back. And stop mentally spending money you're not going to get. That, of course, was much easier said than done.

Ranger pulled into the underground Rangeman garage, and parked next to my Mercedes.

"That was fast," I said to Ranger."Isn't there some police procedure involved in getting a stolen car back?"

"Not for me," Ranger said.

This was true. The city of Trenton seemed to have a separate rule book designed around Ranger. Not that I minded, since his connections proved invaluable during the start of my bounty hunting career.

We got out of the Cayenne, and I bent to look in the drivers-side window. Everything looked like how I left it. Nothing damaged. Coletto probably hightailed it from me straight to the chop shop. Not willing to take the chance of getting caught inside the vehicle if the police caught up with him. He hadn't counted on the fact that there'd be a monitoring device hidden somewhere on it.

Ranger came up behind me, and dropped the keys into my hand.

"Thanks," I said. It seemed kind of silly to thank Ranger for getting a car back that was his in the first place."I guess those tracker things_ do _come in handy sometimes."

"They come in handy _all_ the time."

"Hmm," I said, not convinced. Ranger had this constant need to keep me, and whatever car I happened to be in at the time, on his and Rangeman's radar screen. Which meant Ranger constantly had tracking devices installed in, or on, my car. Whether the car was a piece of junk that wouldn't last the day. Or a borrowed one, usually from Morelli at the time, the control room always had a bead on me.

Ranger took my hand and tugged me toward the elevator. He hit the button for seven, and I waved to the control room. Living in this secure of a building, surrounded by a whole squadron of highly skilled men, took a little time getting used to; along with the monitoring of my vehicles. But I've come to know the men who work for Ranger pretty well. And they have become like a second family to me. So, knowing they were looking out for me, too, was ... nice. In a weird, slightly dysfunctional, way.

Ranger unlocked the door for me and followed me into the little hall. I set my bag down and took a moment to appreciate the quiet that I always felt when I stepped into Ranger's apartment. I headed straight for the kitchen, and Ranger's beer. Ranger watched me take a healthy swallow before speaking.

"I have some work to finish up downstairs before dinner," Ranger said to me. He looked down at his watch."You have a couple hours before Ella comes. You could lie down for a while if you wanted."

"Do you want me to rest because you're concerned about my head?" I asked him."Or because you don't want me to go to sleep early tonight?"

Ranger smiled at me."Both, Babe."

My body's reaction to those words wasn't surprising.

"I promise you," I said to Ranger,"that my brain isn't any more scrambled than usual."

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?"

"Yes."

I walked Ranger back to the front door.

"If you start to feel sick, or your headache gets worse, I want you to call me immediately," Ranger said to me."If you do get hungry, you can call Ella early or I can grab something from the control room for you."

"I'll be fine."

He pulled me to him, and kissed me gently on my forehead."I'll see you in a few hours. Just relax. And don't do anything to jar your head."

After Ranger left I realized that there weren't many things to do to keep busy in his apartment. He didn't have magazines laying around on his coffee table. He didn't have any books on his nightstand. So after an hour of channel flipping, I decided a nap wasn't such a bad idea after all. I flopped down on Ranger's bed, and that's the last thing I remember.

When I woke, I was covered with a light blanket and I could see Ranger working at his desk in the little office off the bedroom. I checked the clock on the night table. Seven fifteen. I rolled out of bed and made my way to the office.

"I didn't hear you come in," I said to Ranger.

"No kidding. You were completely out," Ranger said."You worried me for a minute. How's your head feeling?

"Good," I said."I barely have a headache. How long have you been here?"

Ranger checked his watch."About forty-five minutes. Ella brought dinner up a little while ago, but I didn't want to wake you."

I crossed the room to him and stood behind his chair."You could have started without me," I said to him."I would have just re-heated it later."

Ranger turned in his chair and snagged me around the waist with his arm, pulling me into his lap."I can wait," Ranger said, nuzzling my neck.

I felt goosebumps raise along my arms as Ranger licked a particularly sensitive spot on my neck."You aren't hungry?" I asked him, a little breathlessly.

Ranger locked eyes with me."Not for food," he said.

I felt my blood go from a simmer to a boil in thirty seconds flat, but I shook my head at him."You need to eat something," I said."You've been working all day."

"True," Ranger said, against the shell of my ear."But that doesn't mean I have to eat right now."

I pushed away from him, and stood up."You're impossible. Okay, How about this? If what you have in mind for the evening include what I think it includes, then_ I'm _going to need food."

A smile hung at the corners of Ranger's lips, and he stood."We'd better get you fed then," he said."Because what I had in mind does include _a lot _of what you're thinking. But don't worry, I'll be gentle."

Ranger crooked an arm around my neck and dragged me toward the kitchen. A blue Le Creuset dutch oven was sitting on the counter. I lifted the lid, and was instantly starving. Ella had made what appeared to be chicken fricassee. Next to it on the counter, was a basket of homemade, whole-grain, dinner rolls. The only thing missing that would have made the meal totally perfect, was dessert. Luckily for me, I had a candy bar in my bag for emergencies like this.

I filled our bowls while Ranger poured us each a glass of wine. He handed me a glass, and we took our plates, and our glasses, to where Ella had two places set at the dining room table.

I took a sip of wine, and closed my eyes in appreciation. I had seen the wine label listed on restaurant menus. And it had cost well over a hundred dollars a bottle. Since I didn't have anywhere close to the amount of money Ranger had, I was used to beer and cheap grocery-store Merlot. Ranger on the other hand, always had the best. And I wasn't about to complain about it.

"What happened to the car thief?" I asked Ranger, digging into my food.

"Vinnie bonded him out."

I stopped eating and looked at Ranger."You're kidding, right?"

"No, Babe," Ranger said.

"That little jerk-off," I said under my breath. I knew with Vinnie it was _always_ business first. But, at the very least, he could have let him spend a night in jail.

Ranger reached across the table, and brushed his thumb across my increasing frown."I don't know which one you're mad at more, the guy who stole your car or Vinnie."

"That's a tough one," I said."It could be a tie."

"Maybe you should start plotting your revenge now," Ranger said,"in case he decides to go FTA."

"Are you laughing at me?"

"Do I look like I'm laughing?"

"No." Actually, I thought he looked pretty hot.

We finished dinner. I loaded the dishwasher while Ranger put the leftover food away. I was surprised at how domestic we'd become. And how easy living together was. Not that I moved in or anything, but I did spend most of my free time here. Ranger and I seem to be able to coexist peacefully. Unlike Morelli and me. Joe and I had always ended up fighting at least every other day when we shared a living space.

I shook my head at the thought and realized I had missed what Ranger just said to me."Huh?"

"I asked you if you were tired."

"Um ... nope," I told him."Not a bit."

"Would you like to catch the news, or watch a movie before bed?"

I thought about it for a minute."I don't think so."

"It's too early to turn in, Babe," Ranger said."What do you want to do?"

I gave him a small smile."Well ... it might be too early for _sleep_," I said, taking a step towards him, resting my hands on his hips."But it's not to early to go to _bed_. We're very creative people, I'm sure we can come up with something to do there to occupy our time." I knew Ranger had a high sex drive, but I was surprised that I could mostly keep up with it.

Ranger's smile matched my own."Best idea I've heard today," he said. He took my hand, pressed a kiss into my palm, before pulling me towards his bedroom.

I opened my eyes to a dark room, but I could see a light coming from the bathroom doorway. A few seconds later, the door opened and Ranger stepped out dressed in Rangeman gear. I stifled a groan, and closed my eyes to the time displayed on the bedside clock. I _really_ didn't want to be awake.

I didn't hear any footsteps, but with Ranger I never did. I felt the mattress dip as he sat down on the edge of the bed. He pulled the blanket back from my face where I had pulled it up, and kissed my mouth.

"Morning, Babe," he said.

"Ulk," I said, and I could feel Ranger smile against my mouth.

"I wanted to tell you that I was leaving," he said."Call my cell if you need me."

I struggled with the blanket, intending to get up, but Ranger stopped me.

"You don't need to get up, Steph," he said."It's early. Besides ... I like the thought of you up here, naked, in my bed."

I didn't know what to say to that. But turns out, I didn't have to say anything. Because after a kiss to my forehead, Ranger was gone.

Four hours later, I was up and functioning. I was showered and dressed. I had my hair and makeup done. And I finished the breakfast Ella had brought me. There was nothing left to do except get on with my day. First up was a trip to the office to get my capture money from Connie. After I left a quick message on Ranger's voicemail telling him I was on my way to the office, I grabbed my bag and headed down to the Rangeman garage.

"What the heck happened yesterday?" Lula asked when I swung into the bond's office.

"Yeah, we heard your car got stolen," Connie said, looking out the front window."but it looks like you got it back."

"I did," I told them."Ranger had a tracking device on it, so it didn't get very far."

"See," Lula said, hand on hip,"this is what happens when you take your skinny white ass out all by yourself."

I felt my blood pressure kick up a notch, and I sent Lula a squinty-eyed death glare."You weren't here!" I said."I tried calling you. Connie tried calling you. You never answered or came back."

"Oh yeah. I lost my phone somewhere when I went out for lunch. I figured I best get a new one right away, so I didn't miss anything important."

I wasn't sure how important Lula's calls were. It seemed mostly the calls were from Connie asking where the hell she was. Or from me asking where the hell she was.

"Picking up a new phone doesn't take all day," Connie said to Lula.

"It does when Macy's was having a sale in the same building."

Okay, I could see kind of see Lula's point. I couldn't count how many times I've lost track of everything while shopping.

I handed Connie my body receipt for Petrecca and she wrote me out a capture check.

"So what exactly happened in Bordentown?" Connie asked.

"Yeah," Lula said."We need details."

I blew a sigh. I might as well get it over with and tell them. They would find out everything eventually anyway. They always did. The CIA had nothing on these two. I filled them in on the bump to the head and the stolen Mercedes. When I was finished, Lula was smiling wide.

"Good thing you had someone there to kiss it and make it all better."

Connie fanned herself with a file."Who needs aspirin when you've got Ranger?"

Ranger didn't kiss my head and make it better. But he had kissed a few other places. And I must say, I had felt_ a lot _better.

"Enough about me," I said to them."We've got one open case left. Are you up for it?" I asked Lula.

"I'm up for anything that gets me out of this office," Lula said.

"You don't need a reason to get out of this office," Connie said."You're never here to begin with."

I saw Lula's eyes flash and Connie's mouth thin, and I thought it best to separate them for a few hours.

"Are you ready?" I asked Lula.

"You bet your ass I'm ready," Lula said."I'm not gonna stay here where I'm not gonna be appreciated."

"If you actually did anything around here, you would be appreciated."

"I do plenty," Lula said."Like right now, I've got to go out and watch Stephanie's back. If you think stayin' here in this office; filing stuff that no one cares about, is more important than making sure Stephanie is safe, than you're not as good of a friend as I thought you were."

And with that, Lula stormed out the front door. I glanced at Connie, eyebrows raised.

"If she thinks that's going to stop her from doing her job," Connie said, picking up a discarded folder from her desk,"then she's got another think coming."

"She'll be back to normal in a few hours," I told Connie, hiking my bag onto my shoulder.

"That_ was _normal," Connie said.

Actually, I thought that was pretty tame compared to Lula's _normal_.

Lula was standing next to the Mercedes by the time I got outside. She seemed okay, so I suspected Connie was right in that Lula was just avoiding the unpleasant.

We buckled ourselves buckled in and Lula looked over at me.

"Where we headed?"

Good question, I thought. We'd tried all the places listed on his bonds agreement yesterday. I suppose riding around his neighborhood, and places he's been known to hang out, wouldn't be a total waste of time. Unless of course he wasn't there.

I was saved from an answer, when I looked in my rearview mirror and saw a big-ass black pick-up truck park behind me. I watched Ranger get out and walk towards me, and I felt my nipples contract. A normal Ranger reaction. He bent to talk to me through my open window.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I was checking out a system in the area," Ranger said."I saw you sitting here and wanted to make sure nothing had happened that I wasn't aware of."

"When aren't you aware of something?" I asked him. I was teasing him, but I wouldn't have minded knowing the answer."We were just deciding on a plan of action for the day to catch one of my guys." Or, in our case, _attempt_ to catch one of my guys.

"Just checking." He leaned through the drivers-side window and kissed me. Not awe're-in-public-place kind of kiss, either. It was the type of kiss that should've been happening inside the bedroom, not on a public street. And certainly not with Lula sitting bug-eyed next to me watching.

Ranger ended the kiss."Be careful," he said. And without glancing in Lula's direction, he got into his truck, and drove off.

"Whew," Lula said, fanning herself with her hand."That was some kiss. I tell you, he ever kiss me like that, I'd stop breathing and faint dead away. I feel scorched just sitting here next to you."

I knew what Lula meant, as it was, my lips were still tingling from where they had touched Ranger's.

I took a deep breath, willing my hormones to calm done, and turned the key in the ignition."Let's hit his neighborhood again," I said to Lula."We probably won't get anywhere, but at least it's a place to start."

"I don't know," Lula said,"I'm feeling lucky today. I bet we're gonna find this pervert today. We'll knock on his door, and this idiot will open it right up."

I gave her a _yeah, right _look.

"It could happen," Lula said.

But not to me.

I pulled away from the curb, and headed toward Hamilton Township. Who knows, Lula could be right for a change. The odds of it happening at least once are good, right?


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry it's taken me so long to update this one. Lately, I've been concentrating on getting a couple of my other stories done, but I promise to finish what I started with this and Another Day Another Danger. For some reason, since I wrote these years ago, it seems harder to add on to them. Anything familiar belongs to Janet Evanovich. The mistakes are mine. Warnings for language.**

**Chapter 3**

Lula waited exactly two minutes after I started down Hamilton before talking about Ranger again. It might have been a new record for her.

"So," she said,"I guess it really _is_ serious with you and Batman, huh?"

"Looks like."

"That's all you're gonna say. No denying it?" She asked."No worrying about what your mother will say? No fidgeting when I mention him?"

"Nope."

"Well, it's about damn time!" Lula said, punching me on the shoulder."If I was gonna have to give up my claim to the man to someone, it'd better of been to someone who appreciates him."

I cut my eyes to her."What claim?"

"Remember when we first started working together, and I got my new car?" She asked me."It was a great car, but not like the one I have now. The one I have now is beautiful ..."

"The claim?" I said reminding her.

"Oh yeah, right. Well, you and Morelli were still dancing around each other at the time and I mentioned wanting Ranger to be the one to fill my new passenger seat. So technically, I called dibs."

"I don't think you can call dibs on a person," I told her. Especially someone like Ranger.

"Ain't you ever been to bars before?" Lula asked."The popular one in the group, obviously that'd be me, would get her pick of all the guys in the place. And everyone else would get stuck with the leftovers. But since we're friends, I'm not mad about you disregarding my dibs."

"Excuse me? You were always the one telling me to go after him," I said to her."And don't forget the time you told me that I should sleep with both Ranger and Morelli and then cut my losses when they found out. You didn't sound all that heartbroken then."

"Well I had other fish to fry then," Lula said."I'm going through a dry spell now and it's making me remember everyone I didn't get a chance at."

"What about the guy you were seeing?"

"He was a slob," Lula said."He kept leaving his dirty shorts wherever he was. And he wouldn't even pick them up when I yelled at him to get off his messy ass and clean up after himself. And he used my toothbrush. Can you imagine that? That's disgusting. You don't use somebody's toothbrush. Everybody knows that. It's like a commandment or something."

She had a point. It was kind of icky if you really thought about it. But considering what she'd probably done with the guy before the toothbrush incident, I would have thought she'd be a little less grossed-out by the idea of mouth cooties on her toothbrush. I forcefully pushed _that_ image out of my mind. Lula in spandex was bad enough, but no doubt Lula out of spandex would be way worse.

"Who is this yahoo we're going after anyway?" Lula asked.

Oh, good, I thought, a distraction. But I didn't really want the visual of my skip in my head, either.

"His name is Marvin McKnickey."

"What the hell kind of name is Marvin McKnickey?"

"A bad one?"

"There are bad names," Lula said,"and then there are _bad _names. This one is definitely worse than bad. It's like his momma _wanted_ him to grow up and become a pervert or something with a name like that."

I didn't much care about his name, I just wanted to catch him. I am really glad, though, that my parents stuck to something normal like Stephanie.

Even with clothes on, the kindest way I could describe McKnickey was that he was equal parts eyebrow and lip. I handed the file over to Lula, and she made a noise in the back of her throat that sounded a lot like horror. Guess she saw the picture.

"Now it makes sense," she said,"why he's gotta get drunk and flash his goods at innocent people. Any part of this idiot's body has got to be better than what I'm lookin' at here. Maybe his momma _was_ right to give him that name. It seems fitting now that I'm seeing his picture. I just want you to know that I'm gonna have nightmares from this one. I've always said this job ain't for sissies ..."

"When have you ever said that?" I asked.

"Okay, maybe I ain't ever said it, but I've thought it a bunch of times."

That made two of us. I thought back on the time Valerie almost passed out when she decided she wanted to become a bounty hunter and came face to face with the business end of DeChooch's gun.

"I'm tellin' you," Lula said,"I'm really hoping he's naked when we catch him."

I didn't want to see him naked. I didn't particularly want to see him clothed, either. I just wanted to catch him and not have to come in contact with any other parts other than his wrists when I slapped the cuffs on them.

I took a right on Main Street and passed by Marvin's house. No cars in the driveway. But I knew from experience that no cars didn't necessarily mean no skips. I made another pass before pulling into the driveway.

"Okay, you go around to the back door," I said to Lula."And I'll take the front."

"Why do I always gotta go around back?"

"Because my name is on the contract," I told her."And there's less of a chance someone will see you shoot out a window if you're behind the house."

"You got a point," Lula said."Does that mean I get to shoot something?"

"No!"

"But you just said ..."

"Come on," I said, getting out of the car."You can argue with me later after we get McKnickey."

"Now you're talking like a bounty hunter," Lula said to me."His skeevy ass don't stand a chance."

I thought it was more likely that we'd be catching a glimpse of his skeevy ass hightailing it in the opposite direction with his hands cuffed behind his back. But I didn't want to ruin the delusion Lula had going so I didn't say anything.

Lula followed me up the sidewalk before skirting the bushes and heading to the back door. I was mentally crossing my fingers that she'd leave this place with the same number of bullets in her gun as she came with. I waited a beat and when I didn't hear the sounds of glass breaking I knocked on the front door. A second later, the door opened and Lula looked out at me.

"What the heck are you doing in there?" I asked her, even as I stepped through the door, closing it behind us.

"The door was unlocked. No one's here," Lula said."He must have gotten an early start on the day."

I left her in the living room while I did a quick check upstairs. She was right. No Marvin. I went back downstairs to find Lula where I left her by the door.

"I ain't touching nothin' in here. If he don't wear clothes in public, then I don't even want to think about what he does in this place," she said."And what kind of moron leaves his house unlocked in this day and age? You never know who is just gonna walk in."

"Like us?"

"Hell, no. This McKnickey guy would be lucky to have women like us walk into his house."

"Even if we were going to arrest him?"

"Hey, people paid good money for that when I was a 'ho," Lula said."Who knew I'd be handcuffing people all over again for a living? And I'm guessing that he don't get a lot of company, if you know what I mean."

I really didn't want to think about what she meant in relation to Marvin McKnickey.

"Where do we go next? Lula asked."I'm getting hungry again."

"How about we grab something to eat and then we'll try back here before hitting the bars."

"Works for me."

We were just finishing up our McDonald's cheeseburgers and fries when Connie called.

"I just got the papers on one of your regulars," Connie said."I thought since the Two Mouseketeers were already out on the road, you'd want to pick her up at the same time."

"Which regular?"

"Debbie Balzanelli."

"She go after her boyfriend with a bat again?" I asked.

"Nope," Connie said."Broken beer bottle. Seems he was paying a little too much attention to a redhead at the bar they were at."

"Ouch."

"Yeah. Six stitches and some super-glue later they made up," Connie said."And she's decided that she didn't need to go to court since they did. If you're close you could swing by and pick up the papers for her."

"We're at McDonald's now, so I'll be there in about fifteen minutes," I told her."Do you want me to bring you back anything?" After I took her order and hung up, Lula dumped our trash while I got lunch for Connie.

Twenty minutes later, I walked alone into the bonds office since Lula was still in a snit over what Connie had said to her. I was close in guessing how long it would take to get to Vinnie's. Depending on the day, lunch hour traffic could be hard to predict.

"Here you go," Connie said, taking her food and handing me the file on Debbie in return."Good luck. If you see anything in her hands ... run. I hear she's been working out."

"Really?" I asked. Debbie didn't strike me as a health nut.

"That's the problem with dating a younger man," Connie said."The upkeep. You have to diet, make sure you're waxed all the time, and that your hair has no gray showing. It's not worth it when you can get cash out of an older guy with none of the hassle."

I was surprised that Hallmark hadn't called Connie up begging her to write greeting cards for them with that kind of philosophy on relationships.

"I wouldn't know about that," I said to her."I've always dated guys my own age. Give or take two or three years." But I agreed with her about maintenance. It took a lot of hard work to look reasonably good. Especially now days when everyone is botoxed and full of implants.

"I'll keep an eye out for any blunt objects," I promised her, before walking back out to the Mercedes.

"Okay," Lula said."I'm ready to do some serious bounty-hunting now. This one sounds like fun. What's her story? I haven't been with you when you've picked her up."

"She's not really a bad person," I said to Lula."She's just had a hard life. No father around when she was growing up. Drug addicted mother with a whole slew of abusive boyfriends. You know the type."

"Yeah, I am the type. And worked with more of them on Stark," Lula said."So now instead of getting hit, she beats the tar out of the guy first?"

"Yep."

"Where we headed for her?"

I looked at the time."She's probably at home watching TV right now. If we time it for the end of the show, she might come with us without too much of a problem."

"You believe that?" Lula asked me.

"Not even a little," I said."But you were so optimistic earlier about how our day was going to go that I thought you'd appreciate my fibbing a little."

Ten minutes later, I pulled up to the curb in front of Debbie's place. The front door was open and we could hear a lot of swearing going on.

"So much for not having any problems," Lula said."Looks like the boyfriend's here, too. And he probably made her miss her story and now she's pissed."

Or she found him in bed with someone else. Which was the cause of arrest number two.

I pulled out my pepper spray and my cuffs. Lula pulled out her gun.

"No," I said."Put that thing away."

"I'm not going to point it at anyone," Lula said."I'm just gonna scare her into coming with us."

Considering what I knew about Debbie Balzanelli's life, it would take more than a gun to scare her.

"If you shoot _anything_," I told her,"I'm never taking you out with me again!"

"Hunh."

We got out of the car and walked cautiously to the open door. I peeked in just in time to see Debbie chuck a glass vase at the boyfriend's head. Silk flowers and all.

"Damn, she's really pissed off," Lula said."I wonder what he did besides interrupt her TV watching."

I didn't have the time to wonder about what he did. I was busy trying to come up with a way of calming the two of them down. Okay, the boyfriend obviously wasn't the problem here seeing as how he looked scared shitless where Debbie had him cornered. Looks like I was focusing all my attention on Debbie. A good idea since the vase had crashed only a foot from where we were standing.

"Now that was rude," Lula said."We didn't have nothing to do with this fight and we could've gotten cut by a piece of glass or got one of them flower stems in our eyes. Here we are trying to help her out and we almost get beamed in the head with a cheap-ass flower arrangement."

Debbie Balzanelli had bleached blonde hair with three-inch black roots. Guess she spent the money set aside for hair maintenance at the bar that night. She wasn't that much older than I was, but the kind of life she's lead had started showing on her face. Her skin had seen more than it's fair share of sun without the benefit of sunblock. And more than likely, her pack a day habit had added to the little lines that had started forming around her mouth. No amount of working out was going to help her if she kept on going like this.

"Hey, Debbie, it's Stephanie Plum," I called out, drawing her attention to me so the guy could hopefully stop shaking and get the heck out of here."Can you stop throwing stuff so I can talk to you?"

"What do you want?" She asked.

"You know what I want," I said to her."You didn't go to court like you were supposed to. So now you need to calm down and come with me so we can get this taken care of."

She gestured to the guy who, at the moment, was trying to get to the door without being noticed."Can't you see that I'm in the middle of something here? Take one step out that door, Skippy, and you'll never walk again."

"Skippy?" Lula asked."That's his name?"

"Guess so," I said to her.

"That's almost as bad as McKnickey's."

I didn't think it was all that bad for a six-year-old. But calling yourself that in your twenties really wasn't helping him out any.

I turned to Skippy."You can go," I said to him."I'll take care of Debbie."

He looked unsure for a moment until Lula gave him a nudge with her gun.

"What?" She asked, when I cut my eyes to her."I'm not pointing it," she said."I'm nudging with it. That's different."

I rolled my eyes and watched Skippy limp quickly away.

"I swear if he ends up in Sheila Sutter's bed because you locked me up," Debbie said to me,"I'm going to come after you right after I kill him."

"Why exactly do you want to keep getting arrested for attacking this guy?" I asked."Shouldn't you do the both of you a favor and find someone who won't cheat on you?"

"Whose gonna want me?" she asked."Every guy I've ever been with has cheated on me. So obviously there's something wrong with _me_."

"Maybe there's just something wrong with the guys you choose," I told her."My ex husband cheated on me and I kicked his ass out of the house before his pants were even zipped up. I haven't had problems with men cheating on me since."

"Probably cause they know what you'd do to them if they did," Lula said."You should see who she's got now," she said to Debbie."He's hotter than hell. And he loves her and everything."

"Maybe you're right," Debbie said."I'm getting real tired of going to jail."

"You could always just stop hitting everyone that makes you mad," Lula said."That would definitely help."

"All right," Debbie said."Enough of this Dr. Phil shit. I just want to get this over with. I was thinking of ditching this place anyway, and moving closer to my sister in Virginia. And I guess I can't do that with a warrant out for my arrest."

This was true. The police hated when people did that.

Although I didn't think I needed to, I cuffed Debbie before we walked her out to the Mercedes.

"Nice ride," she said."How'd you get a car like this?"

"Remember the hot guy she's with?" Lula asked her."He's also loaded."

"Some bitches have all the luck." Debbie said, as I buckled her in.

"Don't I know it," Lula said.

Thirty minutes later, we'd dropped off Debbie and were back on the hunt for Marvin.

"See, that went real well," Lula said."She didn't spit on us, hit us with anything, or call us names. We're getting better at this job."

"More like she worked out her anger on Skippy before we even got there."

"That could be it, too."

"And don't forget we almost got hit with a vase," I reminded her."And she did call me a bitch."

"You can't really blame her for that," Lula said."You _are_ a lucky bitch."

We entered Hamilton Township for the second time today and I drove back down Marvin's street. This time there was a car in the driveway.

"Hah, I knew his ugly ass would be home just waiting for us."

"You think this is going to turn out better than the last one?" I asked her.

"Yes," she said."I do. See, that's why you need me around. You're so negative all the time, whileI'vealways got a positive outlook on life."

I suppose surviving Stark Street and Benito Ramirez would make anything else look like a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese.

"We'll do this like we did before," I told Lula."I'll take the front and you take the back."

"Hey!" Lula said."I've thought we've been through all of this. I was planning on getting to knock on the front door this time."

"Do you really want to see Marvin naked head on?" I asked.

"Good point. The tail end has got to be better," she said before disappearing around the house.

I took a deep breath and prayed that Marvin had something on, and that he wasn't doing anything that would take years of therapy to erase. I gave the door three loud knocks and crossed my fingers. Well, Lula had been right. He did answer the door. Unfortunately, he was naked. And he wasn't alone.

"Holy Crap!" Lula yelled from the back door.

Marvin's house was a shotgun style house. The type that you can see straight through from the front door all the way to the back door without obstructions. I really, really, wanted my view obstructed. Not only was Marvin not alone and naked, but he also had a card table set up in the middle of the living room. And there were three men sitting there playing cards. Oh yeah, they were naked, too. At least, I think they were naked. All I managed to see before I squeezed my eyes shut was gray hair and lots of wrinkled skin.

Lula came up behind Marvin with one hand partially covering her eyes."What the heck is wrong with you?" She asked him."How do you have a game of strip poker without any women here?"

I let out a breath. I was glad that Lula had looked at the other people in the room, because I couldn't make myself do it. And I was horribly afraid that Grandma was one of the table's occupants.

"We're not playing_ strip _poker," Marvin said."Just poker. We took off our clothes before we started playing."

"Umm ... why?" I asked.

"At our age it's good to let things breathe," he said."You keep everything covered up and you end up developing sores in some uncomfortable places."

I thought the chances of leaving here without throwing up were very slim.

"Look on the bright side," Lula said, obviously getting her bearings back quicker than I was."At least they weren't playing Texas Hold'em, because I'm bettin' what they'd be holding wouldn't be cards."

It's official, I thought, this is one of the worst captures I've ever been through. And I've had a lot of bad ones to choose from.

I tamped my nausea down and fixed my eyes on Marvin's face."I'm sorry to break up your game," I said to him,"but you're going to have to put your clothes on and come with me."

"Why?"

"Because you broke the law," I said to him." And you missed your court date. And my cousin Vinnie doesn't like to lose money bonding someone out who doesn't bother showing up."

"It was a bogus charge," Marvin said.

"Were you wearing clothes at the time?"

"No."

"Was there someone who saw you naked?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Were you in your house at the time?"

"No."

"Then how is it a bogus charge?"

"I wasn't hurting anybody," Marvin said."I just forgot something in my car and I went out to get it. That's all. Well, I also went back out and got my mail when the people across the street were having a party."

"So a couple of people saw you?"

"They were drunk," Marvin said."I didn't think they'd notice."

Oh brother."Get your pants on and we'll get this straightened out." I told him.

"I'm going to jail, aren't I?"

"If you do, it won't be for that long," I said."Vinnie will bail you out again. And If I were you, I wouldn't be naked when you meet with him, either."

"That's some good advice," Lula said."Vinnie's probably never done it with an old dude before."

The sad thing was that I didn't think there was anything out there that Vinnie hadn't done it with.

"Do I really have to wear pants?" Marvin asked.

"Yes!" I said."I'm not having my new car fumigated because you didn't want to take two minutes to put on some clothes."

The men at the table were quiet up until then."Man she's tough," one of them said.

"If you want to come back here after you get Marvin taken care of," naked guy number two said to me,"we wouldn't complain."

"Thanks for the offer," I said,"but I have plans." Plans to be very far away from here, I thought to myself.

"We see some strange shit on this job," Lula said as we loaded Marvin into my car."I'm gonna have to wash my eyes out with something when I get home. Do they make anything stronger than bleach? Why can't we ever get a gang banger, or a murderer? You know, something normal."

"I don't want a gang banger or a murderer," I told Lula."They kill people. And if I can make an ordinary kindergarten teacher want to kill me, what chance would I have against someone who does it for a living?"

"You got a point."

We drove back to the Trenton PD, and I hauled Marvin out of the backseat.

"I'll just wait for you here," Lula said.

Big surprise there. Lula never came with me for this part of it. She hated cops as much as she hated vegetables and exercise.

"I'll be right back," I told her."Don't you dare leave or I'll have Ranger track you down and ship you to someplace unpleasant."

"Jeez," Lula said."I thought you only got this crabby when you weren't getting any. And seeing as how you're with Ranger, I don't think that's the problem here."

"Just be here when I get back."

"I will," she said."I'm just gonna sit here and try to get rid of the images of all them crinkled up peckers."

I know what she means. There are some things that only three, gallon-sized margaritas could obliterate.

I ushered McKnickey into the building and an officer who looked like he had nothing better to do took Marvin from me and brought him to holding.

I was standing by the desk waiting for my body receipt when Eddie came up to me."Stephanie," he said.

"Hey, Eddie," I said.

"Two skips in less than two hours and you're not covered in garbage, no one's naked, and I don't see blood anywhere. Nobody had a bet going for this."

"Good to see you, too, Eddie." I said. I told myself that it didn't matter, but I asked anyway."Is Morelli around?"

"No. He got called out about a half hour ago. You're safe."

Aside from seeing men with a combined age of 340 in all their naked glory, this day hadn't been too bad. I had rent money. I didn't have to throw out any clothes due to stink. And, as Eddie has said, nothing was bleeding. And now I didn't have to worry about seeing Morelli. I was going to be extra careful on the way home to make sure the odds stayed in my favor.

"So you and Ranger?" Eddie asked.

"Yep."

"How's that working out?"

"Surprisingly well," I said."We're happy."

"It's about time," Eddie said."I mean, I like Morelli and all, but the two of you seemed like you were at different places in your lives. And I hated to see you unhappy."

"I wasn't always unhappy," I said.

"True, but when the unhappy days outnumber the happy ones, you know you've got trouble."

"Well, I've had nothing but happy days lately," I said,"if you leave out anything work related."

"I can see that," Eddie said."Tell Ranger we should get together sometime."

Like Ranger would ever want to double date with my cousin Shirley-the-Whiner?

"Sure, Eddie," I said to him.

I got my receipt and headed back to my car. The phone rang again as I was buckling my seat belt. Boy, I was Miss Popularity today, I thought.

"Babe, can you stop by my office on five when you're done for the day?"

"Sure," I said."What's up?"

"I just wanted to discuss something with you."

"Okay. I was just going to drop Lula off and stop at my apartment before heading back."

"How did your day go?" He asked.

"I got my pervert and a bonus skip. No bruises. And no bullet holes," I told him.

"Good to hear, Babe," Ranger said.

"I'll be there in a half and hour or so," I told him.

"I'll be waiting." Then he disconnected.

I drove back to the bonds office, and parked behind Lula's Firebird.

"Hey!" Lula yelled out the passenger window at a couple of teenagers that were hanging around her car."Get away from my baby!"

"Jeez, lady," one of the kids said."We were just looking."

"Well, you can look from across the street," Lula said."I don't want to have to wash your nasty fingerprints off of my car."

"Take a pill will you."

"I'll give you a pill," Lula said,"you dough-hole."

"Dough-hole?" I asked her.

"What? He was acting like an asshole," she said." And I've got a doughnut craving."

Now it made sense. Well, as much sense as Lula could make."You know, he wasn't really doing anything," I said to her.

"Yeah, but he was thinkin' of doing somethin'," Lula said."I could tell."

I watched her climb out of my car and into hers, and waited to make sure she wasn't going to roll over any of the now scattering kids. When I was sure that there were no casualties, I pulled out and headed to my apartment.

I parked in the lot and took the elevator to the second floor. I unlocked my door and stepped inside. Rex was at Ranger's at the moment so I didn't have to worry about him. I was just going to pack a few more things to bring to Ranger's apartment and then go talk to my Man of Mystery. I didn't allow myself to think about the fact that I've been bringing more things over to Ranger's, than I'd ever brought to Morelli's house.

As soon as I stepped into the kitchen I knew something wasn't right. I got my gun out of my cookie jar and did the scary check-behind-the-shower-curtain-and-under-the bed-for-monsters thing. Nothing was touched. No one was there. But I knew someone had been. Good going Stephanie, I thought to myself, you had to go and think that you were safe, and that no one had broken into your apartment lately. That was the mental equivalent of an engraved invitation to whatever crazy happened to be in the area.

I quickly shoved some clothes into a bag and hurried back out the door. Whoever had broken in was long gone, but I wasn't sure if they'd be back. I dumped my bag in the backseat and drove back to Rangeman.

I parked next to Ranger's Cayenne and hit the number five button in the elevator. Ranger had said that he wanted to talk to me about something, but I hadn't considered what until now. I stood in the doorway of his office and watched him for a minute, not believing that we were together. That I could come into his office at anytime and he'd be happy to see me.

I walked in, closing the door behind me, and Ranger's eyes focused on me."What's going on?" I asked him.

Ranger rolled back in his chair as I got closer.

I took that to mean he wanted in his lap again. I would have made a joke about being able to sit in a chair while I was in his office, but I was too busy rounding the corner of his desk. I plopped down on his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"You wanted to talk to me about something?" I reminded him when he didn't say anything.

"First things first, Babe," Ranger said, before he kissed me.

By the time Ranger let me breathe again, his hands were nearing the snap of my jeans."Don't start something that you don't plan on finishing," I warned him.

Ranger's hands stilled."Babe, as much as I'd like to have you right here, I'm not going to put you in an embarrassing position. It wouldn't bother me at all if everyone in the control room knew what could be going on in here, but I don't want you ever to feel uncomfortable with anything that we do together," he said to me."But just know that if we were in my office on seven your jeans would be off by now.

Hard to believe that I'd ever be uncomfortable with anything Ranger and I shared, but he was right about me not wanting the guys to hear anything they shouldn't. And Ranger obviously had something to discuss with me, so now probably wasn't the best time for what he had in mind.

"Back to what you wanted to tell me," I said. It was new for Ranger to not discuss business first before trying to get into my jeans.

He left his hand on my thigh, but switched into Business Ranger."Steven Tavish is out," he said.

"Out where?"

"Out of jail."

"I thought you said that he wouldn't get out," I said."And that if he did make bail, it would be too much money for him to come up with."

"That's normally what would have happened, Babe, but the man you saw him talking to at the party is the head of a very prominent software company," Ranger told me."He was apparently impressed enough with whatever scam Tavish had come up with, because he was the one that got him released."

"You're kidding me?"

"No. Six hours tops and he was walking out of the Trenton PD."

"Wow." I'm always surprised with how much money could actually buy you if you had enough of it.

"I wanted to let you know so you can be on the lookout for him."

"Why?" I asked."You can't think he'd come after me. I only talked to him for a few minutes." And I didn't think I was the type of person that would inspire someone to stalk me after only a few minutes of conversation. But then again, there was Dave, the Slayers, Clyde Cone. Maybe I _should_ be a little more aware of my surrounding from now on.

"I don't know for sure that he'd come after you, but he seemed really interested in getting you alone before I stopped him," Ranger said."And someone like him probably didn't appreciate having to spend any time in jail. No matter how short it was. I want you to tell me immediately if you see him anywhere around you."

All of a sudden it hit me. The strange feeling in my apartment. Tavish getting out. I felt my head drop towards my chest. Oh God, not again, I thought.


	4. Chapter 4

**I finally got another chapter out! Thanks to everyone who has left reviews or sent messages letting me know that they haven't given up on this story. I'm going to start on chapter 5 immediately so there won't be another long wait for an update. All familiar characters belong to Janet Evanovich. The mistakes are mine.**

**Chapter 4**

"What the matter, Babe?" Ranger asked.

Then it occurred to me that I hadn't just thought it, I had also said it out loud."Umm ... we may have a problem," I told him.

"I don't like problems."

"You wouldn't like me not telling you about this more," I told him.

"What is it?"

"Remember when I said I was going to stop off at my apartment before coming here?" I asked.

"Yes. You called me about forty minutes ago," Ranger said."Did you expect me to forget?"

"No. I'm trying to stall."

"Babe, just tell me."

"Someone had been in my apartment."

I felt Ranger tense underneath me."Are you sure?"

"Yes," I said to him."Nothing looked like it'd been touched, but I got that creepy feeling like someone had invaded my space."

"Tavish?"

"I don't know," I told him."I haven't had any run-ins with anyone lately. But now with him being out of jail ..."

Ranger reached around me for his phone. He hit a button and I waited to see who he'd called.

"Tank. We need cameras and a new security system installed inside Stephanie's apartment," he said.

He waited a beat before speaking again.

"She said that someone broke in. And with Tavish being out, I'm not taking any chances on him getting to her. I want this done yesterday." He waited for Tank's affirmative before continuing."I want Tavish found, and at least two men on him at all times when he is. I want to know where he is. Where he's staying. Who he's associating with. I even want to know what he had for breakfast, and when he takes a piss," Ranger told Tank.

Jeez. I had a feeling Tavish was going to have more tracking devices on him once he's found, then I'd ever had.

"I want to be notified immediately when you find out anything." He said before disconnecting.

"Um, Ranger," I said."Don't you think you're overreacting just a little? I mean, we don't even know for sure that it _is_ Steven Tavish."

"No," Ranger said,"I don't think I'm overreacting at all."

"That's it?" I asked him."We're not even going to discuss this at all?"

"What's to discuss, Babe? Someone is clearly messing with you here, and I'm not going to just sit back and do nothing about it."

"I didn't expect you to," I said to Ranger."But we need to work together on this. If it _was_ Tavish in my apartment; and we don't know for sure that it was, I may be able to help you catch him again."

"Steph," Ranger said,"I don't want you anywhere near him. He went from jail straight to your apartment. He only had contact with you for a few minutes. Why is harassing you more important than getting himself locked up again unless he thinks he's got a score to settle. Notice that he didn't show up here at Rangeman._ I _was the one who took him out, but he's targeting _you. _Think about why."

"I don't really want to."

"I know, Babe," Ranger said, brushing his lips across mine."But you've got me and all of my men with you on this, and we won't let him near you."

"You guys can't just spend every second trailing after me," I said to Ranger."You have a business to run, and obligations to all of your clients to keep. I can take on Tavish if I need to." I did have some experience with handling crazies. And I also have a few patented scrotum-scaring moves to fall back on.

"Sorry, Babe," Ranger said."You chose me. And now you're stuck with me. And making sure you're all right is always mine, and Rangeman's, first priority. If something happened to you, this business or the clients themselves, wouldn't mean shit to me."

"Gosh, Ranger," I said, batting my eyelashes at him,"you're _so_ romantic. I can't keep my hands off of you when you say sweet things like that to me."

Ranger gave me a full-on Ranger smile, and I really couldn't keep my hands off of him when presented with that particular smile.

"Playing with fire, Babe," he warned.

"And what if I want to get burned?" I asked him.

"You will," he said,"but only after we get this settled."

"Spoil sport."

"I try, Babe."

"Okay, but you'd better make up for it when we're done here."

"Don't I always?"

"_Ooh, yeah_," I said, replaying last night in my mind.

"Steph, I don't want you to put yourself in danger," Ranger said, back to business mode."We'll catch him first and find out for sure if he's the one behind this. Then we'll know how to proceed."

"But Ranger, no one has done anything yet."

"You said it, Babe. They haven't done anything y_et. _And they're not going to get the chance to."

I took a deep breath and framed Ranger's face with my hands."No one is going to take me away from you, Ranger," I said, quietly."Not if I can help it. But you know that I'm not just going to sit around waiting until Tavish, or whoever else might get it in their heads to stalk me, surfaces. I have a job to do, family to see - "

"Babe," Ranger said, taking my hands in his and kissing them,"you usually look for any reason to avoid seeing your family. And I'm practically handing you one here."

Crap. He was right.

"Okay, let's leave my family out of it for now," I said to him."I just mean that I'm not going to stop my life because of this. You're forgetting that he could only be trying to freak me out, not trying to hurt me." Ranger raised one eyebrow at me."What?" I asked him.

"When has anything ever been as simple as a prank with you?"

"Never."

"So you can see where my concern comes in."

"Yeah, but I don't like it."

"Me either, Babe," Ranger said."But we'll deal with it."

"I'm willing to take whatever safety precautions you want me to," I said to him,"but I'm not putting our life on hold anymore."

"I hear what your saying, Steph," Ranger said,"but I have the final say in all security matters."

"Just because you own a security company, you think that you know everything about it?" I asked, smiling at him.

"I only need to know everything about _you_. And now that I do, I don't want anything to jeopardize what we have. If Steven Tavish, or anyone else, tries they'll be disposed of."

"Disposed of ... meaning prison? Or the dump?" I asked.

"The choice will be theirs."

Oh boy. I didn't know if I was pissed off at having another nutcase in my life, or if I felt sorry for whoever this was once Ranger found out where they were.

"Can we talk about something other than this now?"

"Like what, Babe?"

"How I caught both of my skips," I said. On second thought, if I explained my captures it might ruin any mood that we'd created. Thoughts of naked old people tended to do that."Forget the skips, we can talk about what we we're going to do tonight when you get off work."

"What would you like to do?"

"I'm not really sure."

Ranger smiled, and I knew something was about to bite me in the ass.

"How about going to your parents' house for dinner?" He asked me.

I rolled my eyes at him."Hah, funny," I said."I was just using them as an example. I don't want to waste any of the time we have together, hiding from _anyone._ Not Joe, my family, or some new psycho."

"I'm not suggesting you hide out," Ranger said.

"Good, because I wasn't planning on doing it."

"Right now, no."

"Ranger, all I'm asking for is some say in the decisions that affect my life."

"You forget that since we're together this also affects_ my _life now," Ranger said."And I've always consulted you. You just haven't always liked my suggestions."

I looked up at him, my eyebrows raised in disbelief.

"Trying to handcuff me, and lock me up in a safe house against my will with Tank playing babysitter? That's what you call '_consulting'_ me?"

"That was once," Ranger said.

I narrowed my eyes at him. Thinking back on the Ramos murder investigation when Ranger tried forcing me into a safehouse. Twice.

"It was during the same case. So it only counts as one time," Ranger said to me, brushing at the frown lines that had formed as I remembered that time in our relationship."And I have since learned my lesson. Handcuffs, bodyguards, and a fully secured vehicle, wouldn't be enough to keep you somewhere you didn't want to be."

"I'm glad you figured that out. It'll save us a lot of time in the future."

"I'm a smart man."

"I know," I told him, kissing his jaw."You're also cute, too."

"Cute, Babe?"

"Uh-huh. But a little too macho at times."

"You think so?" He asked.

"Yep."

"Would you think I'm too macho if I threw you over my shoulder, carried you upstairs, and spent the rest of the night loving you like you've never been loved before?"

"I would," I said, feeling my nipples harden at the thought,"but I'd forgive you for it."

I slid off his lap and grabbed his hand, pulling him out of his chair. We'd reached the door of his office when my cell phone rang. I checked the display and saw my parents' number. I closed my eyes against the headache I knew was impending, and opened the connection.

"Stephanie this is your mother calling."

As if I wouldn't have known that from the sound of her voice, or from the caller ID that is on every phone on earth now?

"A nice young man stopped by today asking for your address," she said."I figured that if you knew him, he'd already have your address, since every crazy person from here to Canada knows where you live, so I didn't give it to him."

"When was this?" My eyes shooting to Ranger.

"Right before lunch," my mother said."I would have called you sooner, but the kids had the day off and I had errands to run. Only now have I had the chance to catch my breath."

"It's okay, Mom, I understand," I said to her."What did the guy look like?"

"Extremely handsome," she said,"like he should be in one of those toothpaste commercials. He had perfectly cut blond hair. And he was dressed really nice. He struck me as a very polite young man."

"Okay Mom, thanks," I said to her."That's all I needed to know. If you see him, or hear from him again, call me or Ranger immediately. All right?"

I could almost hear her spine go rigid. All her Burg-mother instincts springing to life.

"Holy Mary Mother of God, not again," she said."He's another criminal, isn't he?"

At least I didn't have to wonder where I got it from. Except, being the bad Catholic that I am, I wasn't comfortable throwing religious names around the way she does.

"Yep, he is," I said."A bad one."

"Do I want the details?"

"Probably not," I told her.

"All right, then," she said."I'll call if I see him."

"Thank you," I said, and hung up.

Ranger was looking at me with an expectant expression.

"Looks like Tavish is my apartment crasher," I said to him.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," I said to him."He apparently stopped at my parents' house and played nice with my mother trying get my address."

"Did he get it?" Ranger asked.

"Not from her. She said he showed up before lunch, so it took him around three hours to find my apartment and break in to do whatever it was he wanted to do." I shuddered. I really hated when people I don't know touch my stuff. It was only the threat of Homeland Security or trigger-happy guards that made me tolerate it at the airport when I had to fly somewhere.

"If he's already made contact with your family _and_ broke into your apartment, Babe, we have to accept that he's a threat to you."

I sighed."I know we do, but I was really hoping that this wasn't going to be anything more than a sick joke on his part. I should know better by now."

Ranger wrapped his arms around me, pulling me closer."We'll get him, Steph," he said, softly."And we'll do what we've always done, we'll work together to bring down the bad guy. Though one of us may be doing it from the safety of this building. In the meantime, I want you to stay here with me here at Rangeman until Tavish is picked up."

"Do you really think we're ready to start living together, Ranger?" I asked him. Never mind that we mostly were already. I still have my things at my apartment, but either Ranger stays with me there or I stay on seven with him at night. It seems only when Ranger has to go out of town do we sleep apart. And even then, it's usually only for a night or two. If it's going to take longer than that, Ranger sends someone else to fix the problem.

"That's a separate question for another time, Babe," Ranger said to me."This is about your life being in danger."

"He didn't strike me as the deranged-murderer type," I said,"so probably he won't try to kill me."

"Doesn't matter. I'm not going to risk you on a probably. Either you stay here or I move into your apartment with you."

"But you're having a security system installed, is this really necessary?"

"In my opinion, yes," Ranger said.

"In that case ... I vote for here," I told him."Your bed is bigger and better than mine, your sheets are nicer, and you have Ella."

"Do _I _factor into your decision?"

"Not really," I said, keeping a straight face.

"Babe ..."

"What?" I asked innocently."You just finished saying that you'd be staying wherever I was. And as long as you're with me, the location doesn't really matter. Only the amenities."

Ranger didn't say anything. He just lowered his head to mine. The kiss started off as gentle and teasing, but the sparks that were always close to the surface between us soon took over. After a few seconds, I had my hands in Ranger's hair holding on, while my brain checked out. Ranger's hands tightened on my hips before he eased an inch away from me.

"We'd better take this upstairs, Babe," Ranger said."Three more seconds of that and privacy will no longer be the issue."

I leaned forward and whispered against his mouth."Lead the way."

I sent a mental plea to my cheeks to un-flush before we walked out of the office. I knew the jokes would be flying if they didn't.

"You know what you need?" I asked Ranger, keeping his arm in mine.

"I know _exactly_ what I need right now," Ranger said.

So much for keeping my face pink-free."You need an elevator that goes directly from your office to your apartment."

"What for, Babe?"

"So I won't have to walk out in front of Lester with swollen lips and damp underwear," I said, taking delight in watching Ranger's eyes change from dark brown to black right before his mouth came back down on mine.

While that didn't exactly help my flushed cheek situation, or my underwear, I really enjoyed it while it lasted.

Ranger pulled back from me."Let's go, Babe," he said in the voice that was usually reserved for the bedroom."We'd better get you out of those _damp_ clothes."

He opened the door and kept me glued to his side as we walked to the elevator.

"Hey, Boss?" Lester said from the hall just as we stepped into the elevator.

"Not now, Santos," Ranger said, as the doors closed in front of us.

"What if that was about something important that you need to deal with?" I asked him.

"It's Lester, Babe, how serious could it be?"

"You hired him for _some_ reason," I reminded him.

"True," Ranger said."But if it was important, Tank would page me."

Good enough for me.

We got off the elevator and Ranger unlocked the door to his apartment for me, then I was back in his arms. My bag landing somewhere near the door. We didn't come up for air until we'd made it all the way into his bedroom. It was times like these that made me really appreciate Ranger's built in GPS. It would really have ruined the moment if we'd slammed into a wall in the process of ripping each other's clothes off.

We were both naked by the time we landed on the bed, and once Ranger's shoulders blocked out the light coming from the windows, I felt all my problems slip away. Tavish, my job, negative thoughts of any kind, didn't exist here. Ranger made sure of it.

The next morning, I was lingering over coffee in Ranger's kitchen. I'd woken up around four-thirty to Ranger's hands sliding over my skin. The feeling was so good that I didn't even think to get mad over the fact that I was awake when it was still dark out. When we were both spent, I fell back into a dreamless sleep. Ranger had probably showered right after he was sure I was out again and then went on to start his day. If Ranger were your typical man, I might have felt a little guilty over him not getting enough rest, but if he wasn't indeed a superhero, then he was pretty darn close. And in being so, I concluded that Ranger didn't need as many hours of sleep as I, or anyone else, did.

I crawled out of bed a couple of hours later. The sun was brighter. And so was my mood. Ranger was a two-legged happy pill. I didn't think he'd appreciate the description, though. I threw on a robe, headed to the bathroom, and took a leisurely shower. As soon as the hot water hit me, I knew that I'd definitely made the right decision about staying here. Not only would my being within earshot make Ranger relax more, because anyone after me would have to go through every man in the building to get to me, I could also have the world's best shower after having an incredible night with Ranger.

I got dressed in my Rangeman uniform. I didn't know what my plans were going to be so I made the most logical choice. I figured that I could catch skips in my uniform, but I couldn't work downstairs in my cubby if I wasn't in one. Well, maybe Ranger would make an exception for me, but I'd rather save those exceptions for when I really needed them.

I spent a good amount of time on my hair and make-up before wandering into the kitchen. Ella had been up at some point, because breakfast was there waiting for me. Normally I'd find it a little scary to know that someone could come and go without me knowing about it, but since it was Ella we were talking about, I was okay with it. She was so good at not being intrusive, that I was almost positive that Ella had some sort of super power of her own, and could just beam food up here without having to enter the apartment at all. And she must have known that I was going to be eating breakfast alone because she made me waffles instead of a vegetable-filled egg-white omelet. I suppose since they were multi-grain waffles you could argue that they were healthy, and therefore not a bid deal, but after I took my fist bite, I was sure that Ella had given me real maple syrup to eat with them and not the sugar-free stuff that Ranger insists on. My stomach was now as happy as the rest of me.

I'd just finished the last of my coffee when I heard my phone ringing. It was almost ten o'clock so it was either Ranger checking to make sure I was still alive, or Connie wondering if I'd skipped out on her. My bag was back in it's usual place on the sideboard, and any clothes that we'd thrown last night had been picked up. My face went red at the thought that Ella was the one who'd cleaned up after us, but after a moment I knew that Ranger would have been the one to do it. He knew I'd be mortified if Ella knew any details of our sex life. That and the fact that he didn't like when things weren't where they were supposed to be. That was why I was a little concerned about staying here initially. If Ranger really wasn't ready for this, it could cause problems for us. He might decide to stay away from the apartment more and I'd feel like I was causing him to, and I'd immediately run straight back to my apartment. Danger or no danger. But I did have to admit, Ranger never seemed like he minded when I _did_ stay here. Even insisted on it most of the time. So maybe I was worrying over nothing. Again.

I flipped open my phone."Hey Connie," I said."What's up?"

"Stephanie, where the heck are you?" Connie asked."You normally check in before now. What's going on?"

"I'm not exactly sure," I said to her."But until I am, I'm sort of on lockdown."

"What?"

"Remember Steven Tavish?"

"Is that the guy you helped Ranger bring in?"

"Yep, him," I said to her."He showed up at my parents' house yesterday and talked to my mom before breaking into my apartment while I was out with Lula."

"Stephanie Plum strikes again," Connie said."I don't know how you attract so many nutjobs. I thought you and Ranger turned him in."

"We did, but he had a friend with enough money and influence to get him out. The Trenton PD seems to have a revolving door when it comes to Tavish," I told her."Apparently he's missed me, too. Unless I've pissed off someone else in the last forty-eight hours."

"With you anything's possible."

"Thanks a lot, Connie."

"When will you be able to stop by here?"

"I don't know," I told her."I'll have to ask Ranger, but I'm guessing not until he's free. Why? Do you have an FTA for me?"

"Two of them, actually."

"I'll check with Ranger and try to swing by this afternoon," I told her,"but I'm guessing I'll have a bodyguard or two in tow."

"No problem," Connie said."It'll give me something to look at other than this crappy office while you sign your contracts."

"Is Lula there waiting for me?" I asked Connie.

"No. She had a date last night."

"That was fast," I said. Wasn't she just telling me she was in a slump?

"Yeah," Connie said."She stopped off at the Seven Eleven for some ice cream and scratch tickets, and some yahoo complimented her on her shoe choice and the rest is history. She ditched the ice cream and went with something more satisfying."

"Go, Lula." I'd never been comfortable enough with myself to sleep with someone I barely knew. I was more of a five-date kind of girl.

"Yeah. Once she gets this out of her system, she should have standards again."

"Why aren't you pissed?" I asked Connie."You're always on her case about being late."

"We've called a truce for the time being. She does what I ask, but only after I've asked her a minimum of three times. That way she doesn't feel so much like an employee."

"She _is_ an employee," I said.

"Tell her that," Connie said.

"No thanks." I've long since learned that it was a waste of time to argue with Lula when she already thinks she's right about something.

I told Connie that I'd see her later, disconnected, and went back to the kitchen. I put the dishes in the dishwasher, and poured the remaining coffee into a travel mug before heading to the control room. Now that I really thought about it, an elevator that went directly to Ranger's office wasn't such a bad idea. I could come and go as I pleased without anyone knowing. And it had all kinds of possibilities of what Ranger and I could do it in. I wasn't anywhere close to Lula when it came to sexual experience, but Ranger inspired all kinds of things in my mind. And in my body. All of which I think he'd approve of.

The doors opened while I was still thinking of one particularly good idea.

"Um, Steph," Bobby said to me,"if any of the men see that expression, Ranger's gonna have no choice but to fire them, so you might want to tone it down a bit."

I refused to look embarrassed."Sorry," I said to him.

"Don't be. We're all happy for you and Ranger," he said."But keep in mind that some of the men aren't as immune to you as you'd like to think they are."

"I got it," I said."Thanks."

"Ranger told us about Tavish," Bobby said to me.

"Yeah, psychos can't get enough of me."

"Ranger also told us that you were staying with him here until he's caught."

"Looks like."

"Don't worry, Steph," Bobby said."We won't let anything happen to you."

I smiled at him."I've never doubted that if anyone had the power to save the world, it would be you guys."

"Saving the world is one thing," Bobby said, smiling."Saving _you_ is proving to be a lot harder."

I narrowed my eyes at him. Merry Man humor was almost as bad as Ranger humor, I decided.

"Thanks, Bobby," I said, the sarcasm obvious in my voice.

"We love a challenge, though," he said, laughing.

"I'm leaving now," I told him.

"In all seriousness, Steph," Bobby said, all traces of humor now gone,"we got your back in this."

"I know. And I appreciate it more than I can say," I said, reaching up to give him a hug.

"Why didn't you tell me that you were giving away hugs, Steph," Lester said."I would have been the first one in line."

"I was hugging_ Bobby _because he was being sweet, _mostly_," I told Lester."_You're_ just being an ass, so you don't get one."

"No one other than _me_ should be getting anything you're giving out, Babe," Ranger said. He'd come up behind us and was looking at Lester.

I smiled just at hearing the sound of Ranger's voice. It was pathetic, really, how much I loved him.

I noticed that both Lester and Bobby took a step away from me. They were Ranger's friends. Some would say that they were even closer to him than family. They were also my friends, too. And it was okay to joke around with me. But occasionally, when Ranger was around, they reverted back to him being their boss and superior officer, and me being the_ 'Boss' Woman_.'

"Relax guys," I said to both Bobby and Lester."Ranger knows he has no competition and nothing to worry about. Especially when it comes to you guys."

"Ouch, Steph," Lester said."That's harsh. If you'd have given us a chance we would - "

"San-tos," Ranger said. His tone didn't change at all, but the way Ranger separated the two syllables of his name had Lester taking another step back.

It was actually kind of fun to watch. How someone who would be deemed scary and frightening in their own right by normal people were still, after knowing him for years, terrified of Ranger. Or maybe it was _because_ they knew him so well that made them still so scared of him.

"Where you headed, Babe?" Ranger asked me.

"Actually to your office, if you're not too busy."

"I'm never too busy for you, Steph," Ranger said.

Bobby made a gagging sound until Ranger gave him a look that shut him up.

"We were just leaving," Bobby said to me."If you need backup just let us know."

"You'll be the first ones I call," I told them. I looked over at Ranger,"after I've talked to Ranger, of course."

"Nice save, Babe."

"You can't say that I haven't learned anything being with you."

I walked with Ranger down the hall to his office, and he closed the door behind us.

"Connie called," I said, settling into the chair across from his desk. Ranger sat down on the edge of his desk in front of me, our knees touching. I forced myself not to get distracted, and finished what I was saying."She has two new FTAs for me, but we haven't discussed plans aside from where I was sleeping at night. I wasn't sure if I was waiting for you to come with me, or if you were assigning one of your men to _Stephanie Duty _again, or if a panic button was enough for now? You know, if this is going to keep happening to me," I said to Ranger,"then we should have a terror alert like the government had. _Green_ is okay to assume daily life, and _Red_ means I'm banished to the seventh floor or a house in Pennsylvania until the bodies of the bad guys in question line the streets."

Ranger was listening to me with a small smile tilting up the corners of his mouth. Looks like I was still entertaining to him. I supposed when you're used to military strategies and Special Forces coups, my color idea would be pretty silly in comparison.

"So what color would you say this falls under?" I asked him, since I still needed to know what I was doing today.

"I'd say yellow," Ranger said to me,"with orange-stripe potential."

My eyes narrowed and I leaned towards him."Are you making fun of me?"

"Not really, Babe," he said."I think we're past the just-annoying stalker phase. Tavish may not have reached the dangerous stage, but I'm not willing to rule it out. So I want to you to stay here in the building as much as you can, and take me or some of the men if you have to leave."

"I'll need to make at least a run to the bonds office to get the paperwork on the new skips," I said to Ranger."And I'll also have to capture them."

"I don't suppose you'd just agree to let Rangeman pick them up for you?" Ranger asked.

"Not just for a orange-striped/yellow level," I said, smiling. I loved being able to tease Ranger. There was a time when I would have been afraid to, but I've since discovered the softer side of him that he only seemed to share with me.

"Can you wait until after lunch to leave?"

"I can," I said to him."Are you coming with me? Or are you sending someone?"

"I have people checking out all of Tavish's old addresses, acquaintances, and places he's frequented, so I expect a report on that shortly. And then I have a bit of Rangeman business to take care of. After that, I'm all yours."

I tamped down the warm feeling that those words produced in me. And to think, I tried to deny what this man meant to me. Now there was no way on earth I could.

"Okay," I said."How about we have lunch together first and then take off?"

"Fine with me, Babe."

"Do you want to stop somewhere on the way, or eat here?" I asked him.

He smiled at me."You'd risk anything for a meatball sub, wouldn't you?"

"Afraid so," I said. I'd probably trade my soul for a Pino's sub.

"If you want something aside from a sandwich," Ranger said,"I can call Ella and we can have lunch on seven."

"Isn't she busy enough keeping the kitchen down here stocked?" In my opinion, whatever Ella got paid for what she does everyday wasn't nearly enough.

"For you, Babe," Ranger said,"Ella would make a seven course meal for lunch."

"Yeah, right," I said.

"You may not believe it, Steph," Ranger said, his voice without a trace of amusement,"but Ella would do that and more for you. Everyone in this building loves you, Babe, and would do anything for you. Whether that means making you waffles for breakfast or stopping a bullet meant for you."

It was hard to believe that after thirty years of uncertainty, insecurity, and thinking I wasn't good enough, there was this small group of people that was willing to do anything to erase it. I took a deep breath and focused on the one thing Ranger said that wouldn't make me break out in tears. Something I hated doing more than going to a viewing with Grandma.

"How did you know about the waffles?"

"I have my ways," Ranger said.

I shivered thinking about some of them."Don't I know it."

"Babe."

"Okay," I said,"I'm going now so we don't have the same privacy issue as yesterday. I'll meet you around noon at the elevator?"

"I'll even carry your books and backpack upstairs for you and everything," Ranger said, keeping his face devoid all expression.

"Hah, hah," I said. And wasn't _I_ the one that was just saying how I enjoyed this side of him? "So all it takes to put you in a good mood is me staying in the building?

"What can I say, Babe, I like having you close."

Oh brother. Ranger was almost as bad as Lester and Bobby when he got going."You'll probably take that back if we can't find Tavish quickly," I said.

Ranger stood up from the desk and pulled me to him."The only thing I would ever take back when it comes to you, is how long it took for me to admit just how much I love you."

I pressed a soft kiss to his lips."Same here, Ranger," I said softly."But everything that's happened after we cleared that little thing up has been perfect."

"Better than perfect, Babe," Ranger said."And once Tavish is caught and dealt with, we'll go right back to it."

"I know," I said."And I'll try not to be too big of a pain about it until it does."

"Can I have that in writing?" Ranger asked.

It still surprised me how similar Ranger and I actually were. We were both wary about sharing our feelings, but could now say them easily and out loud. And we could also change the seriousness of any moment with a well-placed joke or comment.

I kissed him again, before walking back to the door."No," I said."And I'm not signing anything, either."

"It'd be easier if you did," Ranger said, back to smiling.

"Yeah," I said, opening the office door,"for you. I'll see you at twelve." Closing his door softly behind me. I rolled my eyes. _Men. _I suppose you _could_ live without them, but that wouldn't be nearly as much fun.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks to everyone who left reviews for chapter 4, and for the additional story alerts. Hearing that people still like this story, and what I've been adding to it, motivates me to update faster. This chapter is a little shorter than what I usually write, but I wanted to save the skip chasing until chapter 6. All familiar characters belong to Janet. Any mistakes are mine. Warnings for language.**

**Chapter 5**

At five minutes to twelve, I saved everything I worked on, shut my computer down, and went to meet Ranger. He was talking to Tank, and I could see Vince, Hal, and Woody standing off to the side, waiting.

"What's going on?" I asked Ranger.

"Get your bag, Babe," Ranger said."We're going out to lunch today."

I looked towards the guys."All six of us?"

"It's the only way you're going to get lunch out."

"Technically, it'll only be the four of us," Tank said."Vince and Woody here will be watching the outside of the building."

"Why?" I asked, turning my eyes to Ranger."I thought we were eating upstairs?"

"We still don't have Tavish's whereabouts. I don't know how long it's going to take to neutralize him, and I don't want you to go crazy if you end up having to stay in the building for an extended length of time. So we're going to go out for lunch and then to the bonds office while Tavish is still hiding out. The only condition right now is that we take extra men with us. And that you have men with _you_ at all times."

"Heck, Ranger," I said to him,"if we get to go to Pino's the whole building can come with us and I wouldn't complain about it at all."

"You lucked out," Ranger said,"because the whole building can't come. I need someone here to answer the phones and watch monitors."

"Hah-hah. I'm going to go grab my stuff. I'll be right back," I said."Don't change your mind about this while I'm gone."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Babe. I know never to come between you and Pino's."

"Boy, you were right," I told him."You_ are _smart."

Tank laughed, but Hal, Vince, and Woody looked uncomfortable. They weren't as close to Ranger as the Three Musketeers - Tank, Bobby, and Lester were. So kidding around with Ranger meant mat time, and possible unemployment, to them. Whereas my kidding around with Ranger meant lengthy _mattress_ time for me. Something I look forward to nightly.

I took the stairs to Ranger's apartment, hoping they'd get me there faster. Of course, since it was_ me _running, I probably took a lot longer than the elevator would have. I unlocked the apartment, checked to see how my hair was holding up in the hall mirror, and grabbed my shoulder bag. I skipped the stairs this time and took the elevator back down to five.

The guys were right where I left them. Guess lunch was still a go. Which was good, because I could hear a meatball sub calling my name.

"Ready?" Ranger asked.

"Yes."

I got back onto the elevator with Ranger, and Tank and the guys took the stairs down to the garage. Ranger beeped his car unlocked and opened the Cayenne's door for me, waiting until my seat belt was fastened before closing my door and getting behind the wheel. I guess all aspects of my safety were important. Me sailing through the windshield wasn't going to happen on Ranger's watch.

Ranger drove the ten minutes to Pino's with two shiny black SUV's on our bumper, while filling me in on what he'd learned about Tavish so far.

"His family comes from old money," Ranger told me."They own a large-scale shipping company."

"What do they ship?" I asked him.

"Whatever they can get away with," Ranger said."Tavish was set to step in as the CEO of the company when he turned twenty-five."

"So why isn't he sitting behind a giant desk somewhere watching the money roll in?"

"His parents disowned him after his first arrest."

"What was he arrested for?"

"Embezzlement."

"Let me guess, he embezzled from his family's business?"

Now the reason they disowned him made sense. I mean, what kind of asshole steals from his own family?

"You got it, Babe."

"And now he's moved on to stealing other people's money instead of his family's," I said.

"He can still have the lifestyle he wants, but he doesn't have to answer to anyone," Ranger said to me."And he can move on whenever he chooses to."

"Like when the police want to talk to him."

"Yes."

"I'm really starting to not like this guy," I muttered under my breath.

"Same here, Babe," Ranger said.

"Yeah, but you don't like him because he's fixated on me," I said to Ranger."I don't like him as a person. He's sounding more and more like a complete waste of skin."

"Babe."

"You know, I can usually find a redeemable quality in most people," I said,"but Tavish seems to be lacking in any at all. He and Joyce would make the perfect couple." Joyce Barnhardt was the only other person I could think of without a soul. She was also lacking morals, an IQ, and a clean bill of health.

Ranger pulled into Pino's lot, and Tank parked next to us with Woody taking a spot close by. I'd have to remember to order something for Woody and Vince before we leave. If they were going to follow us to the bonds office, which I was pretty sure they were going to, they'd need something to eat while they watched the building not move. Because going to Vinnie's was never a quick hello-goodbye thing. Connie would want details about what was going on. And Lula ... well, Lula was Lula.

Tank and Hal got out of their vehicle and walked to the Cayenne. Only when they were on either side of my door, did Ranger let me out of the car. I rolled my eyes at them, but didn't argue about how unnecessary this was proving to be. I wasn't chancing having my lunch taken away from me by saying anything out loud, though. I would have made a bigger deal out of this, since I always bit Joe's head off when he tried to keep me safe, but I knew Ranger wouldn't make me do any of this unless he was sure that it was the only way to keep me from potentially getting hurt. Knowing that someone cared that much about me made all the annoyances of this bearable. Ranger wasn't ordering me to stay home because he thought I was too stupid to handle Tavish. He was treating me as an equal in this, and for that alone I would have done anything he wanted me to. Within reason, of course. I really wasn't going to just sit on my ass in his building while he made my world safe again.

We made it into the restaurant and to our seats without incident. I took a quick look around and leaned close to Ranger.

"See, we didn't need more Rangemen to keep an eye on us," I said to him,"because everyone in this place has been staring at us since we sat down." I kept forgetting that people would still be curious about Ranger and I being together. And being together here at Pino's no less.

"Maybe it's Tank they're looking at," Ranger said, smiling.

"Although Tank_ is _looking good," I said,"I don't think that's it."

"I didn't think you noticed," Tank said to me."Thanks, Steph."

"I did notice," I told him."And your welcome." He didn't come close to Ranger, but he was good looking in a mortal man kind of way.

Ranger ignored the banter between us."You have to expect that people are going to be interested in us," Ranger said to me."You'd been with Morelli for a while and they were sure that you'd end up marrying him."

"Looks like I was the only one unsure about that."

Ranger leaned over to me and pressed a quick kiss to my lips."I'm glad that you were, Babe."

"No more than I am," I said to him."_Believe _me." I still felt like I dodged a bullet there.

The waitress came over and, after a few moments of appreciating all the muscle at our table, took our order. I was curious what Tank and Hal would pick. If they were assigned to watch me they usually ordered a sub or pizza, but I didn't know if Ranger being here would change their lunch choice. He did. At least, with Hal. Tank stuck to a small pizza, but Hal opted for a roasted vegetable sub. Yuk! That was a horrible use of bread in my opinion, but I wasn't the one eating it so I guess my opinion didn't matter. We all passed on the beer. I got a soda while the guys stuck to bottles of water.

Fifteen minutes after the food was put in front of us, our plates were clean. My mother would probably appreciate the Rangeman guys. Thinking about how happy she looked when everyone sucked down what she had made for dinner. After she got over the initial shock of them sitting at her dinner table, that is. Wait a minute, that was an idea. That could be a perfect two-for-one payback for having to endure all the teasing from the guys and the guilt from my mother. I smiled thinking about the look on my mother's face when we all showed up on her doorstep.

"What are you smiling about, Babe?" Ranger asked, seeing my expression.

"Nothing."

"Is this going to involve me?"

"Nope," I told him."You're safe."

Before we left, I ordered steak and cheese subs for both Vince and Woody. It seemed cruel to have to inhale Pino fumes and not get to eat something from them. Ranger paid for the meal when the waitress brought our take-out and we all stood up from the table. Ranger's hand immediately went to my hip. Tank was in front of Ranger and I, and Hal was following behind us as we walked back out to the car. Vince and Woody were waiting for us right outside the door, probably scaring the crap out of anyone wanting to enter the building. I didn't know if they had worked this out while I was upstairs getting my bag from Ranger's apartment or if the were using mental telepathy to communicate with each other. Either way, I saw how efficient they were.

I had two seconds to hand the bag of food to Woody before I was escorted by Ranger, Tank, and Hal to the Cayenne. I busied myself with buckling my seatbelt so they wouldn't see my eyes rolling again. This whole thing still seemed like overkill to me, but I'd promised Ranger that I'd go along with any security measures he thought I needed to take, so I couldn't whine about it now. Ranger got in beside me and we were off to the bonds office. I hoped Lula was still MIA, because she'd have a field day when she saw my security detail.

Apparently getting out of Rangeman and getting a Pino's sub was the extent of my luck for the day. Not only was Lula there, she was standing in front of the office, holding the door open. She looked to the two SUV's and then over at the Cayenne.

"Maybe we can come back later," I said to Ranger.

"Why?" Ranger asked."We're already here. And you need to sign the papers for your skips."

"Yes, but I really don't need to hear Lula talk about her booty call last night."

"Booty call, Babe?"

"Yes," I said."There's no other way to describe it."

Ranger parked, and the same procedure from Pino's was done again. When I was completely surrounded by Rangemen reflexes, we walked the ten feet to the building.

"What're you," Lula said,"some kind of celebrity or something? Shit, I bet God himself don't even have this much protection."

What was scary was that the government could probably learn a thing or two from Rangeman. Ranger tended to not leave _anything_ to chance when it came to me.

Ranger and I followed Lula into the office while Tank stayed vigilant at the front door, and Hal went around back to the door Vinnie used to get away from anyone he didn't want to confront. His wife, his bookie, the husband of someone he's currently sleeping with. I honestly didn't know how Lucille let him in the house at night without fumigating him first. Vince and Woody still had truck duty. If this kept up, they were going to have to start worrying about hemorrhoids.

I sat down on the couch and Ranger stood next to me. Lula plopped down on the couch, trapping me between her and Ranger. I had no escape.

"Since it looks like we got the Secret Service here, something must be up," Lula said."What've you gone and done now? I only left you alone for a night while I was gettin' my needs met. I should have known you'd find some trouble without me there to keep you out of it."

Connie was watching this with a smile."Go ahead, Steph," Connie said."I didn't get a chance to tell her anything yet."

Lula whipped her head around and narrowed her eyes at Connie.

"What? You knew why Steph was late and you didn't tell me?" She said to Connie."I've been worryin' my ass off. I might've even got an ulcer from all the worryin' I've been doin'."

It was Connie's turn to roll her eyes."You have not been worrying," she said."You've been talking non-stop about your new studmuffin."

"Well, it's not everyday that a woman finds her soul mate at the Seven Eleven."

"It is for you," Connie said, her eyes looking out the front door to Tank."It wasn't that long ago that_ he _was your soul mate."

"Tank's still surprised that he made it out alive," Ranger said, leaning close.

"He probably thanks his cats daily for it," I said."It's a good thing he's "_pussy_" whipped."

"Babe."

"I'm talking about his_ "pussy_" cats," I said, trying to keep the smile off my face."What did you think I meant? If Tank hadn't adopted those cats, and Lula hadn't been allergic to them, they would have been married and divorced by now."

"Sad, but true," Ranger said.

"What are you two whispering about over there?" Lula asked.

"Nothing," I told her. At least, nothing she wanted to hear.

"Back to what you're keeping from me," Lula said.

Ranger, realizing that this wasn't going to be a simple visit, pulled me up off the couch, took my seat, and tugged me back down until I was almost sitting on top of him.

Lula whistled."Looks like someone's going all Man-In-Charge on you."

"I was wrong," I said to Ranger."I want to stay in your building."

"I'll remember you said that, Babe."

"Stay in Rangeman?" Lula asked."What're you talkin' bout now? Is this why you weren't here this morning? No one tells me nothin' around here."

"You won't let anyone get a word in," I told Lula,"so how are we supposed to tell you anything?"

"Hunh," she said."I'm listenin' now, so let's hear it."

"Remember when we went out dress shopping for that dinner Ranger and I had to go to?"

"Yeah, I saved your ass that day," Lula said."You wouldn't have found that dress if I hadn't of been with you."

I sighed.

"Don't you sigh at me. I'm only tellin' the truth," Lula said to me."For a Jersey girl you can't shop for shit under pressure."

"Anyway ..." I said, trying to get the conversation back on track."The guy we captured that night broke into my apartment yesterday while we were out catching skips."

"Why'd he do that?"

"He seems to have an issue with me."

She snorted."Who in Jersey doesn't?"

Ranger wasn't amused. I could see a hunter-like determination in his eyes. I knew that some of Ranger's reputation may have been exaggerated by word on the street, but I also knew that what was being saidnow_ was _based on fact. _This_ Ranger would take out anyone in his path if he thought they were hiding Tavish from him.

"He's going to be dealt with just like we've dealt with everyone else in the past who has threatened to harm you," Ranger said.

I shivered at the deadly tone. I laid my hand on top of his and squeezed. He looked down at me, and I saw his expression lighten. I didn't want him to have to eliminate any more of my problems. I still wasn't comfortable knowing that he took out Abruzzi because of me. His conscience shouldn't have to carry anything else of mine.

"Tavish hasn't done anything but talk to my mother and break into my apartment," I said to Ranger."He didn't touch anything, or take anything, as far as I know. He did give me the creeps when I talked to him, but I'm not willing to call him a psychopath yet."

"You're still not getting anywhere near him again, Babe."

"I'm not planning on it," I told Ranger.

Vinnie stuck his head out of his office."What's going on?" He asked."Why aren't you working? I'm not paying everyone to just sit around doing nothing."

Ranger looked at Vinnie over my head, and I could see Vinnie pale under his spray tan.

"Unless, of course, you need to be sitting here for some reason."

"Stephanie's picked up another mental case," Connie told Vinnie.

"Oh yeah, who?"

"His name is Steven Tavish," I told Vinnie.

"Blond?" Vinnie asked."Fake smile? Looks like he belongs on a yacht somewhere in the Caribbean?"

"That's him."

"I know him," Vinnie said."He's one fucked-up shit." .

"What have you heard?" I asked him.

"He came from a well-to-do family with bags of money just lying around collecting interest."

"Yeah, I know that," I told him."Why do you think he's fucked-up?"

"You heard about him being kicked out of the family business?"

"Uh-huh, Ranger told me."

"Well, he was trying to talk up Harry one night."

That would be Harry the Hammer. Vinnie's father-in-law. And also big time mob guy.

"What about?" I asked Vinnie.

"I think he wanted a "family" connection to add to his list of contacts. And to have a credible name to drop when he needed one," Vinnie said."When he was introduced to Harry, Tavish gave him a load of crap story. Described himself as a struggling businessman who just needed a backer to make it big. He also told Harry about how his mother never liked him. And how she convinced his father to disown him. The bastard has major mommy issues."

"He doesn't like women?" I asked him.

"Enough to boink them when the mood strikes," Vinnie said to me."But that's it."

I looked up at Ranger."I guess that explains why he's pissed at me."

"What'd you do?" Vinnie asked me.

"Ranger and I picked up Tavish at a dinner party he was attending," I said to Vinnie."But when I was alone with him for a few minutes before we arrested him, Tavish tried to drag me out of the building ..."

"Did you kick him in the balls or something?" Vinnie asked.

"No," I said."_Ranger_ did something to him."

"But he was interested in_ you_, right?"

"I guess."

"No guesses, Babe," Ranger said."He was following you all night."

"You'd better watch you back, then," Vinnie said to me.

"I don't have to." I said."Ranger and his men are doing it for me."

"Steph ..."

"I meant that figuratively," I told Ranger."I'm listening to you. _And _I'm keeping my eyes open. I'm not taking any chances of having my life messed up now that it's finally in order."

"You listenin' to someone?" Lula said."Next thing, you'll be sayin' that you don't eat Tastykakes."

"I'll _never_ say that."

Vinnie slinked back to his office, and I climbed off of Ranger and walked over to Connie's desk.

"So who are the lucky FTAs this week?" I asked her.

"These are good," Connie said, handing me the files."One's a shrink who tried to back over her husband with an SUV."

"Wow," I said to Connie,"she should have had a talk with herself before starting the car."

"And the other is petty thief named Canton Screwer."

"You're kidding?" I asked.

"Nope."

Lula came up behind me."I gotta see what a guy named Canton Screwer looks like."

"Here," I said, handing her the file with his picture.

Lula went completely still before letting out a string of curses that would have made frat boys blush. Ranger moved next to me and raised an eyebrow.

"Don't know," I told him."When she stops swearing, I'm sure she'll tell us what's going on." Since Lula usually ended up telling us way more than we wanted to know in the first place.

"Hey!" Connie yelled at Lula, snapping her out of it."Do you know this guy?"

"Fuck, yeah, I know him," Lula said."I spent hours doing the nasty with him last night. And I watched his fine ass walk out my apartment door this morning."

"Screwer is the guy you've been going on about all day?" Connie asked her.

"Yes."

"Damn!" Connie said.

That's what I was thinking. I was also thinking that this was going to go badly. Lula couldn't keep herself under control on a regular apprehension, never mind when she had an ax to grind with him. Maybe I should check her bag for an ax, now that I think about it. She probably had one of those in there, too. Lula liked to be prepared for anything.

"Doesn't look good for the skip," Ranger whispered to me.

"Yeah, she's going to kill him," I said."It's a good thing we have backup. We'll need all the Rangemen there to hold her back when she sees him."

"Maybe you should leave her out of this particular capture," Ranger said to me.

Lula's head snapped up."Nah-uh," she said, eyes narrowed into angry slits."I'm catching this asswipe, and I'm gonna make him see that no one makes a fool outta Lula."

"I hope he has insurance," I said to Ranger.

"You don't need insurance when you're dead, Babe."

"Good point."

"So you're hell bent on nailing him, because he nailed you last night?" Connie asked.

"Damn right," Lula said."He was lucky enough to get to spend the night with me. Now he's gonna spend the night in jail for lying to me to get there."

"Why on earth would you go out with a guy you met at a Seven Eleven named Canton Screwer?" I asked her.

"I didn't," Lula told me."He told me his name was Richard Heady."

That was even worse."You went out with a guy named Dick Heady?" I said. He was just switching out one stupid name for another. Clearly this guy had the mentality of a twelve-year-old boy. Mental note: only pick up candy bars and ice cream at convenience stores.

"He has excellent fashion sense," Lula said."And clearly he has excellent taste in woman, since he wanted _me_. He was also hot. So I didn't care so much about how dumb his name was. I had other things on my mind."

All of them dirty, I bet.

"It's a wonder that an online dating site hasn't hit her up for advice yet," Connie said, under her breath.

Lula picked up the suitcase she called a purse and hefted it onto her shoulder."Come on," she said to me."Let's go. I'm in the mood to kick the shit outta some criminal behind."

"Umm ... maybe you should calm down a little before we try apprehending anyone," I told her.

"No way. I'm dragging in Screwer or Dickhead or whatever the fuck he's callin' hisself today."

I turned towards Ranger."Should you call the control room have them send some more manpower? She's really pissed."

"No worries, Babe," Ranger said."I'm going with you and Lula today. And we'll take the men that are already here with us."

"Good," I said."Because an angry Lula on the loose could be worse than the threat of Tavish."

"Outta my way!" Lula yelled at Tank, pushing by him on her way out of the office.

"You'll protect me, right?" I asked Ranger, following slowly behind her.

His hand went to my waist as he moved into position behind me."Always, Babe."


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm not exactly sure where this chapter came from because I had a different idea in mind when I started it, but when I read back through it, I kind of liked where it ended up. And I hope you do, too. I had to rely on web searches for information on cell phone stalking, but there were three different answers for every one question I had so I decided to go with real for what I could, and made up for what I couldn't find out. All familiar characters belong to Janet. Warning for tons of bad language.**

**Chapter 6**

When Ranger and I stepped out onto the sidewalk, I saw that Lula was looking back and forth between her Firebird and the Cayenne.

"What're we takin'?" She asked me."Because I'm not so sure I want that lying little shit sittin' in my baby."

"Ranger's going with us," I told her,"so we'll take the Cayenne."

"Is this because of that idiot that broke into your apartment?"

"Sure. Yep, that's the reason," I said to her. Not at all because I was afraid Lula was in danger of tearing this guy's face off before we cuffed him.

Lula climbed into the backseat of Ranger's Porsche while Ranger and I buckled ourselves in. He put the key in the ignition and looked at Lula in the rearview mirror.

"Do you know where this guy is right now?" Ranger asked her.

"He told me that he works as a mechanic for a trucking company in Hamilton Township," Lula said."He fixes the trucks up or somethin'. But he could just be lyin' about that, too."

I thought back on the theft charge that had gotten him arrested.

"Wasn't he arrested for stealing from them?" I asked her.

"Nuh-uh," Lula said."He said he just got hired at this place. And that he was lucky to get this job on account of there's no work anywhere."

The economy and his arrest, I thought.

"You're going to behave yourself when we get there, right?" I said.

"What the heck kind of question is that?" Lula asked me."I'll have you know, I'm a _professional. _And I just saw one of them skinny ass doctors on TV talkin' about meditation and deep breathing and crap, and how it's supposed to be real good for you, so I'm trying it out when I find myself gettin' ready to bust a cap up someone's ass. And I was_ real _angry there for a minute, but I've had a chance to calm down. See, I can put my personal feelings for this dickhole aside here."

Yeah, right.

Lula told Ranger the name of the company, and fifteen minutes later we were pulling into the lot of Transcendental Trucking.

Woody and Tank had both followed us here. I didn't see Ranger make a call so I assume that they were going to be with us the entire day no matter what went down. I had to admit, though, that Lula did look like she calmed down considerably. Maybe we wouldn't need any backup after all. She even remained quiet while we checked with the office to see if Canton was indeed working today.

He was, and we were pointed to one of the warehouse-style garages on the property. Tank came with us while Hal, Vince, and Woody stayed with the vehicles. After all, out of the five of them, Ranger and Tank were the most intimidating. I didn't really think that we needed four people to apprehend Canton, but you never knew if the skip, or a friend of the skip, would try to stop you. And in this case, there was also Lula to consider. Needless to say, I was happy that Tank and the guys tagged along.

As expected, Lula's zen mood lasted only until she saw Screwer.

"Hey, Dickhead!" Lula yelled across the lot.

The small smile he'd been wearing vanished when he caught sight of Lula baring down on him. I didn't blame him. Lula was full of anger and hadn't eaten in the last hour, maybe longer. Not a good combination for anyone involved.

"It's _Richard _Heady," he said when we caught up to him.

Clearly he wasn't very bright, because he chose to stay where he was instead of hoofing it to the nearest exit.

"Oh, really?" I asked him."I thought it was _Canton_."

I looked him over and saw why Lula had been attracted to him. He had dark brown hair cut short, black eyes framed by lashes woman paid beauty shops top dollar to apply, and skin a shade darker than Ranger's. He was only about two inches taller than me, but his body was built so well that you didn't miss the height. And the little bit of his smile I saw before he noticed us, looked charming and warm.

"How do you know my name?" He asked, eyeing Ranger and Tank like one would a grizzly that had wandered into their backyard by mistake.

"You didn't tell him what you do for a living?" I asked Lula.

"No way," Lula said."Once a guy finds out you haul scumbags back to the slammer, they don't wanna have nothin' to do with you. At least, the ones in my neighborhood don't."

Probably because most of the ones in her neighborhood were one siren away from ending up back there. And I knew why she didn't want to mention what her job was. Bounty hunting just barely eked out my friendship with Ranger as the thing Joe hated the most.

"You're going back to jail you lying little weasel," Lula said to him, her temper coming back full force.

"Jail?"

"Yes," I said to him."I'm Stephanie Plum. I work for Vincent Plum Bail Bonds."

"Fuck."

"_Fuck_ is right," Lula said."And last night's was the last one you're gonna get from me."

I had to remember to stop for bleach on the way back to Rangeman so I could scrub the image I just had of Lula and this guy out of my brain. Or maybe I could ask Ella. Ella probably had bleach hidden somewhere in the building. Then again, maybe she didn't since everything's black at Rangeman.

I guess Canton figured he didn't have to pour on the charm now that we knew who he was, but it still surprised me that instead of trying to make a break for it, not that he would have gotten far with Ranger and Tank here, he stayed to argue with Lula.

"You're the one who should worry about not getting any," Canton said."You're lucky I even looked at your fat ass!"

Tank, Ranger, and I, all inhaled sharply at that.

Lying to Lula was enough to get you shot at, but probably not hit since Lula couldn't aim worth a crap. But calling her, or any part of her,_ fat _I knew was a death sentence. I had to give Lula credit, because she didn't just snap and kill him right there. She looked like she was really trying to hold on to her temper, but I could see that she was only holding onto it by the tips of her inch long finger nails.

"My fat ass?" Lula said, not really sounding insulted at all which shocked the hell out of me."You seemed to like my _'fat ass' _just fine last night when you were holdin' onto it for dear life, shouting for God like one of them TV preachers."

I wish I had Lula's confidence. If someone had just called _my_ ass fat, I'd probably head straight to Tasty Pastry and console myself with birthday cake. Well ... right after I gave the balls of whoever said it a new home.

I swear I could feel Canton blush from where I was standing, but he tried to cover up his embarrassment by going into attack mode.

"It was a pity fuck," Canton said, trying to save face.

"If anyone's deservin' of pity," Lula said, her eyes narrowed and her nostrils distended,"it'd be you. I ain't never had problems findin' a man. And men better than you in the sack have paid a lot of money for my company."

Canton gave Lula a smirk and I could feel my stomach churn. This wasn't going to end well at all. Maybe I should have handcuffed Lula to the chair in the bonds office before leaving. Then Canton Screwer would already be on his way to the police station and Lula wouldn't be in danger of having a stroke.

"I guess that makes you a wh ..."

"Don't say it," both Lula and I said to Canton. Except mine was more like a silent plea. Ranger and Tank had stayed out of it up to this point, but being the smart men that they are, they knew calling a woman a whore, even if she would have been considered one in the past, merited an ass kicking. But Lula lunged at Canton before any of us could stop her. I saw Tank and Ranger flinch as Lula caught hold of him. I could see why, since Lula had chosen to prevent Canton from fleeing by grabbing him by the balls. I didn't have any and even I cringed. And she was slowly tightening her fingers as she was talking to Canton.

"Since you brought it up," Lula said to Screwer,"I_ was _a 'ho. I wouldn't do it again, but I did learn a few things from those years of being one about how to make men cry. You experienced one of them last night and you're about to experience another one right now."

Canton whimpered as Lula slowly twisted her hand.

"Shouldn't you do something?" I asked Ranger.

"Looks like Lula's handling it," Ranger said, his lips tilted up at the corner.

Just what I needed at the moment, Ranger humor.

Lula turned her hand another millimeter and Screwer started to sweat.

"For God's sake," he yelled at us, in between pants and deep breaths,"make her let go!"

"There you go with the God thing again," Lula said, almost smiling now."I must be better than I thought."

I didn't trust that smile anymore than I trusted Canton's smirk. He wasn't smirking now. He dropped to his knees and Lula still had a vise-like grip on his package.

"You know, I'm seriously thinkin' about dragging you all the way back to the Trenton PD by this little handle you got here," Lula said."It's only three miles from here. Maybe four."

Canton broke. He knew that even if Lula couldn't physically accomplish it, she would definitely try.

"I'm sorry I said that," he said to her."I didn't mean it." The apology sounding more desperate than sincere.

"Lula," I said to her,"let go of his junk."

"Nah-uh," Lula said."Screwhead here needs to learn that it's not nice to disrespect a lady."

Sure, I thought to myself. Like a _lady _would normally nut-twist a guy that had angered her.

I knew I wouldn't be able to call off Lula without the help of something deep fried, so I turned to Ranger.

"I really don't want to spend the day watching Lula unscrew this guy's balls from his body," I said to Ranger,"so if you can get her to release him we could probably resolve this quickly since I'm pretty sure he's not going to be in any condition to run."

I wouldn't stand of chance of separating Lula from her captive, but there was no way that she would risk ticking Ranger off.

Ranger took a step towards them, but Tank stopped him.

"I got this," he said, and bent close to Lula.

This was going to be interesting. Lula between two men that she's known in the biblical sense. Great. Now I was back to needing bleach. Tank was a nice looking guy, but that didn't mean I wanted a mental picture of him anymore than I wanted one of Screwer.

"Lula, let him go," Tank said, his voice was even without any hesitation or nerves in it. Completely unlike the last time I heard about him talking to, or about, Lula.

Tank didn't really want to marry Lula even when she manipulated him into thinking that he did, but he did seem to care about her. He bought her presents and a Valentine's Day gift after they'd slept together. And going by what I've heard, and first-hand experience, that usually meant that the guy liked you a lot if he was willing to stick around for that kind of holiday after you already hit the sheets with him.

"No." Lula said to Tank."I don't think he's learned his lesson yet."

"Lula, look at me."

Lula turned her head and glared at Tank.

He ignored her look and continued to talk her down."He's only trying to make himself feel better. He doesn't mean the crap he's saying about you."

"Like hell I don't mean it!" Canton screeched, apparently finding enough air to speak, and getting mad all over again at not being able to get himself free.

"Shut the fuck up," Tank said to him."Or after _she_ castrates you, you'll have _me_ to deal with."

"And who the fuck are you?" He asked with a sneer."A _customer_?"

"No fuck-munch," Tank said, calmly."I'm someone who knows Lula well enough not to risk pissing her off."

He eyed Tank up and down, clearly nervous at the size of him. And no doubt wondering how much danger he's really in if someone the size of Tank was afraid of Lula.

Tank turned back to Lula."Anyone who knows you knows that your past is only a small part of who you are now. This asshole got caught and he's pissed off because of it. Don't give him the satisfaction of getting a rise out of you. You're better than that."

"You're fucking right I am!" Lula said."And I worked all the best corners when I was a 'ho. I was_ damn _good at what I did. But I'm a law abiding citizen now and I ain't got nothin' to be ashamed of."

"You're right," Tank said,"you don't. Let him go and we'll get this piece of shit locked back up where he belongs."

Ranger and I were quietly standing there watching the two of them. I've always wondered what they had been like when the were together, and I guess this proves that it wasn't just a physical relationship. Maybe they could have even made it work if they'd been willing to try a little harder, but I don't think either one of them is ready for something that serious right now.

"Fine," Lula said to Tank, before looking back at Canton again."But you'd better not get any ideas on comin' near me again, because if you do you'll lose more than just this." And she finally let him go."I'm done here. Someone else can cuff him. I'm not touching any part of this loser ever again." And she stalked back to the parking lot.

"Wow," I said under my breath to Ranger while Tank was busy cuffing Screwer,"when did Tank become the Lula whisperer?"

"He can act rationally around her now that he's not in a relationship with her."

"Is there any chance of the two of them getting back together?"

"Not a one," Ranger said, watching Tank.

"Do you want me and Hal to take him in?" Tank asked Ranger.

"No. We're not splitting up now," Ranger said."We'll take him with us. You can put him in the back of the Cayenne."

Tank started towards the car and I waited until he was out of earshot before speaking.

"Umm ... Ranger?" I said to him."Are you sure it's safe to have Lula sitting that close to him?"

"This can be part of Screwer's punishment for lying to her," Ranger said.

"Having to sit beside Lula while she glares a hole into the side of his head?" I asked.

"Yes. It's kinder than what she would have done to him if Tank hadn't stepped in."

This was true.

Ranger wrapped an arm around me and we headed back to the parking lot, his eyes constantly scanning the area.

"You have your stun gun on you, right?" I asked him.

"Yes," Ranger said to me."There's also another one in the lockbox under the seat. And a spare Glock if we need it."

"Oddly enough, that makes me feel better."

"That's what I was shooting for."

I looked over at him, but his expression didn't change so I couldn't tell if he'd made a joke or not. Of course if it _was_ a joke, it would have been even funnier if he'd had a taser instead of a stun gun since you could actually shoot a taser.

Ranger kept his arm around me until we reached the car. I wasn't sure if it was for my protection or his enjoyment. If it was for my protection then maybe this Tavish thing wouldn't be as bad as I thought if this was one of the side benefits to having extra protection around me. I circled his waist with my arm and leaned closer to him as we neared our vehicles.

Lula was back to glaring, but her hands were wrapped around her bag instead of Canton's anatomy so I had hope for the ride to the station.

"Tank said numbnuts here is riding with us," Lula said to me."How come?"

"I'm not risking Stephanie's safety by losing a vehicle just to bring him back to Trenton."

"I hear you," Lula said."I don't want nothin' happening to my girl so I'm gonna be real mature here and not let this fucker bother me."

"Thanks, Lula," I said to her."I really appreciate it."

She was so wrapped up in her own martyrdom that she didn't even pick up on the heavy dose of sarcasm I heaped onto my thank you.

"You know I'd do anything for you," she said to me."Probably not as much as Ranger here would, because I don't swing that way, but you _are _my best friend and that's what best friends do for each other."

I didn't know if I was touched that she considered me her best friend or horrified that she treats her so-called best friend the way that she does. She's complained about my taste in men when I was with Morelli, my fashion sense, and my long line of crappy cars. But I had to admit that she was right about Morelli not being the man for me. And I didn't really _have_ a fashion sense since I pretty much wore just jeans and T-shirts with only the color of them changing. And I had to agree with her about my cars, theyhave all been crappy. Maybe that's why I still chose to hang around Lula even though she was a huge pain in the ass. Despite all her faults, the one major thing Lula had going for her was that you didn't have to pretend around her. There was no beating around the bush needed with Lula. You can say just about anything to her without worrying about hurting her feelings, with the exception of calling her fat, which I would never do, or calling her a 'ho. The downside to this was that she thought everyone else was just like her, which meant that she didn't worry about hurting your feelings, either.

"Do you want the front seat?" I asked her.

"Nope," she said to me."Dickbreath and I can use this time to really get to know each other."

Canton whimpered and Lula smiled. Too bad he was destined for jail otherwise they might have been cute together. Lula could scare the crap out of him while Canton tried not to breathe.

Ranger waited until I was buckled in before he got back behind the wheel and led our little group to the Trenton PD. Twenty minutes later, he pulled up to the station, called back to Tank, and Canton was promptly removed from the backseat. Good deal. I'd get my capture money and wouldn't have to get teased by Trenton's finest while I waited around for the receipt. I kind of wished Canton had been naked or full of garbage, because it would have been nice if one of my embarrassing captures could have been dealt with by someone else so they'd be the one getting picked on instead of me. Of course there was two problems with that. Everyone would just assume that the naked guy was one of _my_ skips, and no one was dumb enough to laugh at Tank. Looks like there was no winning for me here.

Ten minutes later, Tank came back out with my body receipt in his hand. He stopped by my window to hand it to me before directing a question at Ranger.

"Where are we headed?" Tank asked Ranger.

Ranger checked with me before answering."You want to pick up your other skip now and get your check from Connie for both of them when we get back?"

"Are you sure you have the time?" I asked him. I looked in the rearview mirror at Hal waiting for Tank to return and Woody and Vince behind them."We won't need the guys for this one. Lula and I can pick her up tomorrow without all the reinforcements."

"There's no difference, Babe. Today or tomorrow doesn't matter," Ranger said to me."The men will be with you whenever you leave the building."

"You guys don't have anything more pressing to do today?"

"I have people running down leads on Tavish. And right now he's Rangeman's top priority so the decision is yours where we go."

"I'd like to help out in the search for Tavish, too," I said to Ranger, not wanting to turn Rangeman upside down just for another one of my wacko's,"so I vote for picking up Gardener today."

I looked back at Lula."Are you up for catching Marion Gardener?" I asked her.

"Heck yeah," Lula said to me."I'm feeling real empowered now. And besides,_ Marion Gardener _is a real nice name. Real motherly. I bet she wears one of them frilly aprons while she bakes chocolate chip cookies, and plants them cute little flowers in her yard every spring."

"She ran over her husband with an SUV," I reminded her.

"Let's not jump to conclusions here," Lula said to me."We don't know all the details. He could have deserved it. Wouldn't you have run over Dickie if you'd had the chance?"

Good point.

"You do realize that just because her name is Gardener doesn't mean that she has a green thumb and can cook, don't you?" I asked Lula.

Tank looked like he was seconds away from rolling his eyes. I don't know why he would. He should be used to Lula and I by now. Or maybe the issue was that he could only handle one of us at a time.

I gave Ranger and Tank the address for Marion Gardener and we were off.

When Ranger parked at the curb in front of Marion's house I saw that I'd been right. Marion Gardener didn't seem interested in horticulture of any kind if her miniscule front yard was anything to go by. It was so barren that even the hardiest of weeds found someplace more hospitable to grow. Well, I thought to myself, at least yard maintenance was easy.

"This don't look like no gardener lives here," Lula said."Where are the flowers? Where are the vegetables? There ain't nothin' green anywhere around here."

"Told you," I said to Lula.

The contrasts didn't end there. When Lula and I left the Cayenne and knocked on the door, the woman who answered it didn't look like any shrink I'd ever seen. Not that I had a lot of experience with shrinks, but the blonde in front of me didn't exactly scream psychologist.

"Holy crap," Lula whispered out of the side of her mouth."I'm bettin' most of her clients are men."

I agreed. Marion Gardener had platinum blonde hair cut short, either purposely styled into spikes or her day hadn't gone well so far, because it was standing up on end. She had on more mascara than I've managed even on my worst day, and a sequined tank top paired with a red leather mini-skirt that could have easily been taken right out of Lula's closet. I heard a cough from behind me which I suspected came from Tank who was standing with Ranger less than ten feet away from where we were.

Marion was in her late forties and was holding up surprisingly well. She was obviously fighting her age every step of the way and winning.

"Marion Gardener?" I asked her.

"Hold on a sec," she said to the person on the other end of her cell."Yes?" She asked me.

"I work for Vincent Plum," I said to her,"and I've been authorized to bring you in since you missed your court date."

"Shit," she said, without any heat."I forgot all about that. That asshole husband of mine just won't leave me alone. Every time I think I'm finally done with him, something he does comes back to sucker punch me right in the kisser."

I thought back on what I'd read about Marion in the file Connie gave me."Umm ... weren't_ you _the one that ran over_ him_?" I asked her.

"Yes!" She said."And I'd do it again if he ever shows his face here again."

Someone had some anger issues to work on.

"Isn't that what I said?" Lula asked me."That there was probably a good reason why she drove over him."

"I had _more _than a good reason," Marion said."I walked into my office early one day and caught_ my _husband going at it with _my_ secretary in _my_ office chair. Not only did I have to shell out a shitload of money for a lawyer who would be able to get me whatever his lazy ass managed to earn on his own. I also had to hire a new secretary and buy new office furniture. He damn well _deserved_ a few tire tracks on him."

"Yeah," Lula said,"you should have backed over him, too."

"I would have," Marion said to her,"but unfortunately, I didn't hit him head on and he was able to jump out of the way on the second pass."

"I hear you."

Too bad Dickie and Joyce were doing it in the dining room instead of the garage, because I momentarily thought of the thrill I would have had by running over not only Dickie, but Joyce, too.

"What're you smiling about?" Lula asked me.

"Nothing," I told her.

Marion was back on the phone."Diane?" she said into it."I'm going to have to call you back." She listened for a minute before speaking again."Yeah, it has to do with Peter, so I may be late tomorrow," she paused."Yeah. Don't worry, I'll be fine. See you tomorrow, five o'clock at the latest." She hung up and looked at Lula and I."Let me go get my bag and I'll be right with you."

"You're not going to run, are you?" Lula asked."Because we get a lot of people who pull that crap when we show up. One minute it's all _'I'm just gonna put on some pants' _and the next thing you know there's a car shaped hole in the garage door."

"I'm not running anywhere," Marion said to her."I want this over with. The sooner my fucking dick of a husband is completely out of my life for good, the better it'll be."

She disappeared inside, but left the door open to us. I turned to Lula.

"Is it just me or is there a lot more swearing going on today than usual?"

"That's because we're dealing with matters of the heart here," Lula said."Me with Dick Heady, and Marion over there with this Peter guy who got caught diggin' in someone else's flower patch. What'd you expect to happen?"

"I pretty much expected exactly what happened today," I said to her,"you wigging out when you saw Canton. Marion is a surprise, though. Now if we can get her to come with us without having to chase her down, we can call it a day."

"You just want to call it a day because you get to go home with Batman over there."

"Do you blame me?" I asked her.

"Not a bit," Lula said."If I'd of had a shot, you would need a crowbar to get me off of him."

Ewww. Poor Ranger. He could control almost everything but the thoughts Lula had about him.

Marion did come back out. She had a designer bag on her arm and a smile on her face. She looked like she was off for a day at the spa, not the Trenton Police Station. Her smile widened when she got a look at Ranger and Tank behind us.

"Well, well," she all but cooed."And who are these gentlemen?"

"Uh-uh," Lula said."Don't even think about it. The drop dead sexy one belongs to Miss Bounty Hunter here, and you don't want to mess with her. She's got a stun gun and a gun with bullets in her bag." She looked over at me."You do have your stun gun and S&W don't you?"

"Yes," I said."Ranger made sure I had both of them with me."

"Ranger?" Marion asked.

"Yes," Lula said."No one messes with Ranger, except for Stephanie. He lets her mess with whatever she wants."

"What about bachelor number two?" Marion asked, after locking the door behind her.

"Forget him, too," Lula said."I know _for sure _that _you're_ not his type."

"How do you know?" she asked, eyeing Tank up and down."I can be _anyone's_ type."

Ranger and Tank could hear every word that was being said, but they looked like they were enjoying the conversation almost as much as Marion and Lula were.

"Trust me I_ know_," Lula said to her.

The eyes that were stuck somewhere in the vicinity of Tank's crotch widened."Oh."

"Yeah," Lula said."We're not together no more, but I know what he's into and trust me it ain't skinny white chicks."

"Damn," Marion said.

"You're in the process of getting a divorce," I said to Marion,"don't you think you should wait a bit before getting back in the saddle?"

"Hell, considering how the last five years of my marriage had been going, I'm itching to tackle a cowboy before even getting near the horse."

"That's some serious frustration you've got going there," Lula said.

"Yeah," Marion said."Five years of the same position, in the same bed, with the same guy. I'm ready for something new."

"I can understand that," Lula said."When I was a 'ho, I made it a point to keep an open mind about trying new things."

"You were a ...?"

"Let's not talk anymore about your employment history today," I said to Lula.

Mainly because I didn't want to hear more details about Lula's love life. And also because we were getting closer to where Ranger and Tank were standing, and I really didn't want to have a discussion about sexual positions in front of them.

Since Marion was busy bonding with Lula, and didn't look inclined to bolt from us, I chose to forgo the cuffs. When we reached Ranger and Tank, I saw that Ranger's eyes immediately went to Marion's unshackled wrists. He raised an eyebrow at me.

"She's coming with us on her own," I told him,"so I didn't think handcuffing her was necessary."

"Babe."

"Yeah, Marion's cool," Lula said."We should really get together for margaritas after you get out of the pokey."

"Sure," Marion said to Lula."I could tell right away that you're my kind of person."

Just because they have the same taste in clothes, apparently had the libidos of nineteen-year-olds, and didn't have a modest bone in their bodies?

"Stephanie can be fun, too," Lula said,"once you get her loosened up a bit."

I caught Ranger's smile out of the corner of my eye. He had reason to smile, I thought, since he was the only person who's ever managed to get me completely loosened up. I smiled back at him as I remembered one particularly _relaxed_ moment we shared the other night. Ranger gave me a once over, not unlike the one Marion gave Tank a minute ago, except Ranger's didn't have a curious look to it. Ranger knew exactly what I was like and what kind of heat we could generate together.

"Don't pay no attention to them," I heard Lula say."They can't seem to go ten minutes without wanting to get horizontal."

"That's not true," I said to her.

"It isn't, Babe?" Ranger asked me.

"No," I said back to him."I can hold off for at least_ fifteen_."

Ranger's smile turned into a sexy grin, and I moved Marion towards the Cayenne before I proved both Ranger and Lula wrong and made it only five minutes before wanting to get him horizontal.

Marion looked at Hal who was standing at attention outside the SUV, and past him to Woody and Vince before she stopped walking and turned to me.

"I know I went apeshit on my husband," Marion said to me,"but I don't really think you needed to bring along half an army to take me in. I swear I'm not a violent person. I spent years in school because I wanted to help people, not hurt them."

"Oh, them," Lula said."They ain't got nothin' to do with you. Steph here has a tendency to plant both feet in some crazy shit. All of them are here because of her."

"For protection only?"

"Yep," Lula said."She hardly ever attacks anyone anymore, except for maybe her ex-husband."

Marion looked at me."He cheat on you, too?"

"Almost the same way it happened to you," I said to her. I couldn't believe that I was telling an FTA anything personal about my life."The only difference is that he did it with_ my _arch enemy on _my_ dining room table."

"Ouch."

"Yep," I told her,"that's what he said, too."

She smiled."I bet he was an asshole."

I didn't know why it mattered, but I appreciated her saying that. I was convinced that every time someone called Dickie an asshole, an angel got it's wings.

"He_ was. _And_ is_," I said."But I've moved on."

"Yeeees," Marion said, drawing out the word as she took another peek at Ranger,"you have indeed."

Tank looked like he was getting a tooth pulled listening to our conversation.

"If you went to school for as long as you have," I said to her,"why couldn't you talk yourself out of trying to make roadkill out of your husband?"

"Just because I have a degree in human behavior doesn't mean I can control my own one hundred percent of the time," she said."Some things just aren't conducive to rational thinking."

No kidding. Half of my life wasn't conducive to rational thinking, I thought to myself.

"So," Marion said looking at the SUV's,"are any of _those_ guys spoken for?"

"Not that I know of," I said. Hey, if she wanted get back into the swing of things who was I to stop her? The guys were all big boys and could take care of themselves."The blonde guy standing by the car is Hal. The one in the driver's seat of the other SUV is Woody with Vince riding shotgun. The all work for a security company in downtown Trenton called Rangeman."

Ranger proved that he was paying more attention to our conversation than any of the other guys.

"Matchmaking, Babe?" He asked me.

"Not really," I said."I just thought Marion should see what a _real _man was like. You'd be the best example of one, but like you've said to me ... I don't share."

"Don't worry, Steph," he said,"I wouldn't let you."

"See what I mean?" Lula said to Marion."Here they go again."

"Do they work together?" Marion asked Lula."Because, seriously, how do they get anything done?"

"They do _all kinds _of work together," Lula said to her.

"_Lula_," I said in a tone that rivaled my mother's hand-to-God voice.

"He's also the head of her security team," Lula said."Nobody gets close to Stephanie's body without going through Ranger first."

"I wouldn't mind him watching _my_ body," Marion said.

I thought it was time to separate these two."Let's go. The faster we get Marion to the station, the faster she'll be out," I said, hopefully moving them along.

"Yeah," Lula said."Then we can pick this up over drinks somewhere that sells booze by the pitcher and hot wings by the pound. I've been in the mood for some hot wings."

"I'm in," Marion said.

"What about you?" Lula asked me, as they were buckling themselves into the back of the Cayenne.

"I'm kind of being stalked by a maniac, remember?" I said to her.

"Shit. I forgot for a minute," Lula said,"with what happened with Screwer and meeting my new friend Marion here. And speakin' of that, what the heck are you doing just standing there out in the open? This Tavish freak could be waitin' around the corner for you. Get your behind in the car already."

I rolled my eyes at her and looked at Ranger."Why didn't I leave her at the office?" I asked him.

"She wouldn't let you," he said.

"Oh yeah," I said,"now I remember. Next time, though, I'm going to zap her in the ass with my stun gun and sneak out the back door."

"Good plan, Babe."

Ranger nodded to Tank, and Tank got back behind the wheel of his SUV with Hal climbing in after him.

As Ranger and I settled ourselves into the front seats of the Cayenne, I heard Marion start pumping Lula for information.

"So what's with this Tavish guy?" Marion asked Lula."And who screwed who?"

"We got some time," Lula said, as Ranger pulled away from the curb and headed to the PD,"so I'll fill you in."

I listened with one ear to Lula's account of the day's events followed by my history with Tavish, even including the shopping trip and her finding my red dress. I was really hoping that by the time we got Steven Tavish back behind bars, Lula would drop that part of the story. I didn't think it would happen, but a girl could hope.

We pulled up to the Trenton PD for the second time today and Tank came to collect Marion.

"It was nice meeting you," Marion said to us before getting out of the car.

"You, too," I said to her. And I meant it. Marion wasn't a bad person, she just had a crappy marriage and one really crappy day. And being a person whose had both, I couldn't fault her for what she did even if it was against the law.

"I'll give you a call when I get this straightened out," Marion said to Lula. And then she disappeared into the building with Tank.

"She shouldn't have to go to jail again," Lula said."Her idiot husband should be the one locked up. If he was lookin' for a little extra knicky-knacky, I'm sure he could find plenty of willing partners in there."

"Probably not the kind he was looking for, though," I said to her.

My phone rang from somewhere in my bag. I dug around looking for it, but it went to voice mail before I got my hands on it. I thought it was likely Connie or my mother calling since the two people who called the most were already sitting in the car with me. I played the message and my blood froze when I recognized the voice.

_"It was nice getting to know a little more about you, Stephanie," _the voice said_."Did you know that a woman's choice of lingerie can say so much about her? See you soon."_

"_Babe_," Ranger said."What's wrong? The blood just drained from your face. Was that him?"

"Yes," I said, my blood back to flowing. So he peeked in my underwear drawer, I said to myself, big deal. It was creepy, but I could handle this.

I handed the phone to Ranger, but was suddenly scared watching him listen to the message. Maybe _I_ could handle this, but I wasn't prepared to watch the man I love deal with it. The air in the car got thick, and I saw my _boyfriend_ Ranger be replaced by_ Mercenary Ranger_.

He hit a few numbers then put the phone back to his ear.

"What did you just do?" I asked him.

"Pressed *69 then redial to see if the number would go through."

Shit. Why didn't I think to do that?

"Guess it didn't."

"The number is blocked," Ranger said,"so it wouldn't call back. But before giving you the phone I made sure it was equipped with the company's number tracking program."

"Why?"

"Why do you think, Babe?" He said to me."If it wasn't Tavish it'd be someone else soon enough."

"Hey, my life's not that bad," I said to him.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, so maybe it is right now. Do we have his number?" I asked, after he punched a few more buttons.

"We will by the time we get back to Rangeman."

Guess Tavish wasn't as smart as he thought he was. Due to his own cockiness, we now have a bead on him. He might as well be wearing a target on his back.

"How do you think he got my number?" I asked Ranger.

"Everyone has your number," Ranger said."And if they don't have your cell number, he'd be able to find someone who does."

Ranger picked up his own phone and hit a button."We'll be back at Rangeman in fifteen minutes. Steven Tavish just called Stephanie and I want a number for the phone he called from. I also want an address for this guy by the end of the day. No excuses." He hung up and hit another button on his phone."Tank? How much longer?" Tank must have answered his question quickly, because Ranger disconnected and stared impatiently at the doors to the station, willing Tank's ass to walk back through them.

"Was that Tavish on the phone?" Lula asked from the backseat.

"Yes," I said."This isn't going to be one of my better days."

"They never are with you," Lula said.

"Thanks a lot."

Five minutes later, Tank was in the driver's seat and we were all back on the road. Guess Ranger didn't feel the need to limit himself to just reading minds, he could apparently mentally move bodies, too.

We made a quick stop at the bonds office to drop Lula off. I handed my receipt for Canton over to her.

"Can you give this to Connie for me?" I asked her."And could you get Marion's body receipt from Tank on the way in? Connie can mail my checks to Rangeman."

"Will do," Lula said."You just stay safe. Don't let this dirtbag get to you. Ranger will find him. And then we can celebrate with some retail therapy when this is over. I'll even treat for lunch."

A real gesture of friendship for Lula.

"I'm going to hold you to that," I said to her."I'll give you guys a call tomorrow."

She closed the door and walked over to Tank's side of the SUV. He powered the window down and I couldn't even begin to guess as to what was being said. I'd have to remember to ask Hal about it later. Lula took the receipt from Tank and leaned in, giving him a friendly kiss on the cheek. Lula was pretty lucky, too. Even if they weren't a couple, it looks like she has a Rangeman protector, too.

"This sucks," I said, watching Lula walk into the bonds office stalker-free.

I didn't want anything to happen to Lula, but aside from the Benito Ramirez attack and the Chipotle beheading thing, she hasn't inspired many crazies to go after her. It seemed incredible to me that she rode along for seventy percent of my captures and yet no one had really focused their insanity on_ her._

"I know it does, Babe," Ranger said."As soon as we catch this sonofabitch, I'll make it up to you."

I looked over at him and it took a moment for the seriousness of his expression to sink in.

"There's nothing_ to _make up, Ranger," I said, softly."We knew going in that this was most likely going to be an ongoing problem with me. But we'll get through this, you know that, right?"

"We _have_ to get through this," Ranger said."The alternative isn't an option."

"Ranger, talk to me," I said."What's going on?"

"Steph," Ranger said, his voice sounding heartbreakingly serious,"there isn't a day that goes by that I don't see the image of you folded up in that cabinet in Spiro's house thinking I was too late, and that I'd already lost you._ I _won't go through that again. And neither will _you."_

"Ranger," I said, picking up his hand in both of mine,"I know you're worried about me, but I've been through worse and lived to tell about it. I don't see this as anything different except that there is more for us to lose, and I'm not about to let anyone take away any part of my life with you. We need to focus all our energy right now on finding Tavish so we can concentrate on living the life that we've fought so hard for."

And just like that my boyfriend was back.

"That's the spirit, Babe."

What was still hard to wrap my head around was how well Ranger and I even each other out. When one of us was stressed out, upset, or pissed off beyond reason, the other was always there offering support or a calming presence. That Ranger could calm me down wasn't a shocker, but to know that I have the same effect on him _was_. I could break through the wall that he uses to distance himself from people when something was going on, and am able to draw him out and get him to open up about what was bothering him. And if I couldn't help solve his problem, I knew that I could at least get his mind off of it for a while or give him a new perspective on whatever it was.

After years of biting my tongue, and keeping my ideas to myself, it was freeing to be with someone who not only listened to what I had to say, but also asked for my opinion and actually admitted when it had helped. That was something I'd never be able to repay Ranger for. He's steadily giving me back the Stephanie who wanted to jump off the garage so I could feel what it was it like to fly, the Stephanie who thought she was invincible, the Stephanie who thought _everything_ was possible. I didn't want to say that he was giving me my confidence back, because nobody should have to be stuck with that job, but Ranger knew what I needed to make mine grow. I still had days when I'd rather hide under the covers than face whatever problem I had, but they were getting further and further apart.

I leaned across the console and pressed my lips to his. After I felt like he'd been thoroughly kissed, I pulled my head back just far enough to give him a small smile.

"Now let's get moving and nail this asshole," I said to him.

I watched Ranger's lips tilt up as he started the car and drove us back to Rangeman. I thought back to Steven Tavish. What he saw at the benefit dinner was nothing compared what he was up against now. He may think he has the upper hand because we haven't found him yet, but he hasn't had the pleasure of really seeing what Ranger and I could do when we worked together. But boy was he about to.


	7. Chapter 7

**Any familiar characters or phrases belong to Janet. The mistakes are mine. Warning for a little smut.**

**Chapter 7**

We were five minutes away from Rangeman when Ranger's cell rang. He checked the display and opened the connection.

"What do you have for me, Zero?" Ranger asked.

He listened for about thirty seconds and disconnected.

"What's going on?" I asked him.

"Tavish has been spotted on State Street."

"Really?" I asked. It sounded a little too good to be true to me. First we had next to nothing on him, only a B&E job done on my apartment and an ID from my mother. And within a half hour, we now have a phone call made by the man himself and another sighting? "Are they positive it's him?"

"Babe."

"Sorry," I said."Stupid question." Ranger's men were always 100% sure before they told him _anything_. No one wanted to risk giving Ranger incorrect information. And especially not about something like this.

"Bones was staking out the neighborhood. He noticed a car slowing down in front of a house we have marked as a possible link to Tavish. And when the car passed him, Bones recognized Steven Tavish as the driver," Ranger told me."It seems Tavish knows enough not to make direct contact with people he's been seen with, but not enough to stay away from them completely."

"How did you know which person to stake out?" I asked Ranger.

"We obtained a list of the people who attended the Cambell benefit and a couple of them remember seeing, or speaking to, Steven Tavish," Ranger said."The guy on State Street was the last person to have contact with Tavish before the dinner and his arrest. So he's the most likely candidate Tavish would go to for help after Morresta."

"Morresta?"

"Tavish's get out of jail free card," Ranger said."Eliot Morresta. He's also being watched."

I didn't want to think how much money Ranger was spending on this or how many hours his men were putting into it.

"Is it possible that Tavish spotted Bones?" I asked.

The was the smallest of smiles on Ranger's lips."If Bones doesn't want to be seen, Babe, then he isn't seen. That's why I hired him."

"Are we headed over to State Street now?"

"I want to talk to Bones first," Ranger said."Someone is relieving him and he'll be back at Rangeman shortly after us. Then we'll check out State Street. Unless you'd rather stay in the building while I handle this."

"Ranger, there are better chances of pigs flying by us in the next five minutes than me staying behind."

"That's what I thought you'd say."

Ranger pulled into the garage and we took the elevator to the control room. We got out on the fifth floor and saw Bobby, Lester, and Zero standing together by Ranger's office, obviously waiting for us. Ranger's hand went to the small of my back as we walked over to them. It was probably an unconscious move on Ranger's part, but I could feel the tingling from the light contact all the way down to the tips of my toes.

"Bones is three minutes out," Bobby told Ranger.

"Let's move this to the conference room," Ranger said to them. He nodded to Tank when he, Hal, Vince, and Woody emerged from the stairs. They'd been in back of us the whole way home."Send in Bones when he gets here," Ranger told Hal.

"Yes, Sir."

Ranger nodded to Tank, and he separated himself from the guys and followed us into the room.

"Zero, you're up. He's the one who ran the address and plates on the car," Lester told us.

All eyes were on Zero, but before he had a chance to say anything Bones walked through the conference room door. Our eyes, and attention, immediately turned to Bones, taking the pressure off Zero for a minute.

"What kind of car was he driving?" Ranger asked Bones, not wasting any time.

"Dark blue BMW."

"Jeez," I said to them."He can't even lower himself to drive a Civic like the rest of us?"

"Babe, _you're _driving a Mercedes," Ranger said."Not a Civic."

"True, but I'm just a car bomb away from one."

"Like the Bossman would _ever _give you a Civic, Steph," Bobby said.

"_Ranger _wouldn't, no," I told Bobby."But when the time comes, I may buy a yellow one just to add a little color to the Rangeman lot."

"That's a good way to insure that he gets you a replacement car quickly," Lester said.

Again with the _getting_ me a car instead of _buying_ me one. It was tempting to ask the guys about Ranger's car source just to see what they'd say, but I knew now wasn't the time since we were sort of in the middle of something.

"What else do we know?" Ranger asked Zero.

"I ran the address on the house Tavish was checking out. It belongs to a Mark Danadio.

I saw Ranger nod like this was something he already knew. Big surprise there. I didn't think there was anything Ranger didn't know before everyone else. Except for maybe my feelings for him. I smiled, thinking back on the night that changed everything between us. It took a second, but I finally managed to force myself to listen to Zero instead of thinking about Ranger.

"He owns a tech company," Zero said to us."Not married. No kids. He owns the house outright, no mortgage. And doesn't appear to be hurting for money, even in this economy."

"Guess that explains why Tavish was thinking about dropping by," I said."Deep pockets are essential to someone harassing me while driving a BMW."

"Babe," Ranger said,"focus."

"Sorry."

"Bones here got the numbers of the license plate," Zero said,"and it's registered to Bailey Endicot."

"Female?" Ranger asked.

"Yes."

"So he's following me around in a car that he borrowed from another woman," I said."Freakin' pig."

"Even _I _wouldn't do that," Lester said.

Having Lester say that meant that you'd have to drive five miles and climb six stories just to reach _PIG_. I mean, Lester is nice and all, but I didn't think you could go through a phone book without crossing off at least one name of someone he's slept with on every page.

"Has she been contacted?" Ranger asked Zero.

"Neighbors say that she left two days ago to visit her mother in Florida," Zero said to the group.

"Did he borrow the car before or after she left?" I asked him.

"Looks like before," Zero said."The neighbor we talked to also said that there's been a man watching the place for Bailey while she's away."

"Steven Tavish," I said.

"Yes."

"Great. So all we have to do is go in there with guns blazing and drag his ass back to jail. Then this can be over once and for all." Unless he gets released again and decides to come after me for round two.

"Not so fast, Babe."

"What?"

"Don't you think that if Tavish was inside the house he would already be sitting in one of Rangeman's holding rooms?" Ranger said.

I remembered the rooms from when Ranger held onto Dickie during the Petiak fiasco. I was about to ask why there and not the police station, but Lester was talking.

"Yeah, Steph," Lester said,"give us a little credit."

"Sorry guys," I said."Crap. He's not there is he?"

"No," Bobby said."But that doesn't mean he won't be back. We have Ramon and Binkie watching it."

"But it's not all bad news, right?" I asked them."We have a place were he's possibly staying, a car description, and two people that have had some contact with him."

"Correct, Babe."

"So now we go talk to Mr. Danadio and see if we can get anything useful out of him?" I asked Ranger.

"Yes. I want to know the second we hear anything," Ranger told the guys.

"Will do," Bobby said.

"Ready, Babe?"

"Yup."

We went back down to the garage and Ranger drove to Mark Danadio's place. It was a pale yellow, two-story house with the trim and wraparound porch painted white, and glossy black shutters on every window. It was a pretty house set on a lot twice the size of the one my parents' house was on. Mr. Danadio had a backyard. And grass. And little flower beds on either side of the porch steps. This was probably what Lula expected Marion's house to look like, but picturing Marion when she first opened the door to us, I'd say her house was a much better fit.

Ranger and I left the Cayenne and walked up the stairs to the door. Ranger rang the doorbell, keeping his body slightly in front of mine. Tank and Hal were somewhere close by. I couldn't see them, but I could feel their eyes on us the second we left the safety of the car. That didn't stop Ranger from going into protective mode, though, something he hasn't gotten out of since the day he met me.

Danadio was the only one reported to live here, so I assumed that the man who opened the door must be him. He had brown hair cut short. Brown eyes. And he was average in every way. Average height. Not to tall, not to short. Average weight. Not skinny, but not overweight, either. He was the type of person the police hated because he was completely forgettable. He wasn't bad looking, but I knew I probably wouldn't remember what he looked like after today.

"Mr. Danadio?" Ranger asked.

"Yeah. Can I help you?"

"Have you seen this man?" Ranger asked, handing him a copy of Tavish's mug shot."His name is Steven Tavish and he's been spotted in this neighborhood.

He looked at the picture again and I could see the confusion on his face. Probably not understanding why the guy he knew was in a police photo.

"I don't know who this_ Tavish _guy is, but _this_ is David Howards," Danadio said, pointing at the guy in the picture."I invested two weeks ago in a business idea he had. He needed start up money and I lent him a few thousand. I haven't seen him since I gave him the check."

Wow. It must be nice to have thousands of dollars just lying around to hand someone without worrying about what organ you'd have to sell to get it, or how many dinners you'd have to mooch off your parents after you gave it away.

"I didn't know he'd been arrested. What'd he do?" Mr. Danadio asked."He's not dangerous or anything, is he?"

You have no idea, I said to myself. At least, I_ thought _it was to myself.

"What do you mean?" He asked me.

"Howards or Tavish, whatever you want to call him, should be considered dangerous," Ranger told him."If you see him, or he contacts you, call me immediately." Ranger handed him one of his Rangeman business cards.

"All right," Mr. Danadio said to him."I'll do that. Do you know why was he was in my neighborhood? Like I said, I haven't seen him since the check cleared."

"Could be that the money ran out and he was looking for more," Ranger said."Do you have any information on David Howards? An address or phone number, a way for you to get in touch with him if you needed to?"

"Now that you mention it, he did give me a card when he first approached me. I'll go get it for you."

"What are the odds of this leading us straight to Tavish?" I asked Ranger when Danadio disappeared into the house.

"Mr. Danadio said he hasn't seen him in a few weeks, so I'd say that it isn't going to be current information," Ranger said."And that's even if any of the information on the card is real. If Tavish was planning on scamming Danadio, he wouldn't want to be found after he got money out of him."

I blew out a sigh."I know, but I was hoping," I said to Ranger."It seems dumb to come back and ask for more money when you've got nothing to show for the first check you were given."

"I know you were hoping, Babe," Ranger said to me."And it is a stupid thing to do, but it's that kind of stupidity that will get him caught. In the meantime, we'll stick close to Rangeman."

"Can I use this to get Ella to make me waffles again?" I asked.

"Babe."

"What?" I said."I'm looking for a silver lining here."

"Yeah, the silver lining of a maple soaked cloud," Ranger said, surprising the heck out of me.

"Did you just make a joke?" I asked him.

"It happens."

But not very often. And knowing that he did it to try to make me feel better topped all the waffles I could ever want.

"Here it is," Mr Danadio said to us, handing Ranger a business card similar to the one Ranger had just given him.

"Thank you," I said to him."Can we call you if we have anymore questions?"

"Sure," he said."No problem. I don't know how much help I can be, but I'll try. If you find him, can you let me know? I'd like to_ talk _to him about the money he owes me."

I didn't think there would be much left of Tavish when Ranger and I got through with him, but I thought Mr. Danadio was welcome to whatever was.

"I'll have someone get in touch with you when we have him in custody," Ranger told him.

We left the porch and walked back to Ranger's Porsche.

"Well I guess this proves that Tavish definitely isn't a criminal mastermind," I said to Ranger."He must really be low on funds if he's willing to risk seeing someone he owes thousands of dollars to. And now people are starting to rat him out. It just seems like it should be easier to locate him."

"He doesn't have ties to anyone aside from a few sketchy business deals," Ranger said."No home base. No family to help him out. He's only connected to people by their wallets so he has no reason to stay in one place, which would make catching him happen faster."

We buckled ourselves into the Cayenne and Ranger drove us back to Rangeman. We didn't have concrete information on Tavish, but I felt that we were better off than we were yesterday. Steven Tavish hasn't done anything really terrifying. I was safe at Rangeman. And Ranger was insisting on keeping me close. All good things. I'll admit that it would be better without a threat hanging over my head, but as far as stalkings go, this has been one of the better ones. It's really sad that I have many to compare this to. I thought back on Ramirez and shivered. Yep, I'd survived much worse.

Ranger parked in the garage and Tank turned towards the lot for the fleet vehicles. We waited in front of the elevator for Tank and Hal, and we all rode back up to the control room together so we could fill Tank in on what we'd learned. Hal went to the kitchen while Tank followed us into Ranger's office. I closed the door behind him and we spent the next twenty minutes going over every detail that we already knew, and everything that we'd learned from Mr. Danadio. When Ranger finally stood, Tank took it as a sign that we were done for the day and stood up, too.

"Don't worry, Steph," Tank said."We've got every man we have available working on this. It's only a matter of time before we catch this asshole and your life can go back to normal."

"Normal?" I said.

"Normal for you, Babe," Ranger said.

Tank laughed and walked to the door."I'll check in with you in the morning," he said to Ranger, and left us alone in the office.

Ranger walked around his desk and stopped at my chair.

"Come on, Babe," Ranger said to me,"tomorrow's another day."

"And lucky me," I said,"I get to spend it with you."

"Just remember that tomorrow morning when I wake you up to come down to the gym with me."

"Shit," I said. I hate the gym."What happened to working around the clock to catch this guy?" I asked, trying to get his mind off the gym subject.

"If you were still at your apartment, I'd have more concerns," Ranger said,"but knowing that you'll be with me, inside a building with the most advanced security system possible to own, allows me to wait one more day before I kill him."

"Ranger," I said, warningly.

"I meant to say _catch_ him, Babe."

"Yeah right," I said."Speaking of that, what's going to stop him from bothering me again if someone gets him out of jail a second time? It's not like he's murdered someone on tape. We don't have enough on him to get him locked up long term." It's a well known fact that the police don't take stalkings seriously unless someone actually gets hurt. And I really don't want the evidence we need to put Tavish away to be_ me_.

"Trust me, Steph, I'll make sure Steven Tavish sees that it's in his best interest to never _think_ about you again," Ranger said,"never mind bothering you."

"I'm not going to have to worry about you getting all macho on me here, am I?"

"It's a possibility," Ranger said. He pulled me up and draped his arm around my shoulders."Let's go see what Ella left us for supper."

We headed to the elevator and Bobby caught up to us while we were waiting for it.

"Anything?" Bobby asked."I didn't catch Tank before he left."

"Not really," I told him."We got an alias he's used in the past. And someone who'll let us know if Tavish gets in touch with him."

Bobby shrugged his shoulders."Better than nothing," he said.

"True," I said to him,"but I'd still be happier if we knew exactly where he was."

"Don't worry, Steph," Bobby said,"we'll get him."

"I'm not worried." Bobby gave me a knowing look."Okay, I'm not_ that _worried," I told him.

Bobby patted my arm a few inches below where Ranger's hand was resting.

"It's understandable, Steph," Bobby said to me,"but we won't let anyone get to you."

"Thanks," I told him."It's reassuring to know there's a Rangeman wall between me and the outside world sometimes."

"_All_ the time, Babe," Ranger said, raising an eyebrow at me.

"_Some_times," I said back, raising both of my brows in challenge. We always disagree a little on this particular subject.

"We're here if you need us," Bobby said, breaking the eyebrow war Ranger and I had started.

Needless to say, Ranger's one brow could outlast my two so I was glad Bobby interrupted us when he did.

"Thank you, Bobby."

He patted my arm one more time on his way to the stairs. Guess he was done for the night. Probably had a building to overtake. Or a skip to intimidate ...

"Babe?" I heard Ranger say.

"Yeah?"

"Are you coming with me?"

I noticed then that the elevator doors were open in front of us. Way to be more aware of the things around you, Stephanie, I thought to myself.

"Yes," I told Ranger.

Ranger propelled me forward and hit the seven button. I circled his waist with my arm and leaned my head against his chest.

"This has been one of the longest days I've had in a while," I said to Ranger.

"And you got through it," Ranger said."You caught your skips, didn't freak out when Tavish called you, and made it through two meetings without doodling at all."

"I'd like to take the credit for that, but the meetings were both short. And this is much more interesting to me than what you guys usually discuss."

I couldn't see Ranger's face, but I could tell by his voice that he was smiling. I lifted my head from a particularly comfy spot on his chest and looked up at him. Yup, he was smiling. It wasn't his mega-watt smile, but it was still sexier than a smile ought to be.

The elevator dinged and Ranger let us into his apartment. I dropped my bag in the vicinity of the sideboard and Ranger followed me into the kitchen. Instead of leaving our dinner on the kitchen counter like she usually did, Ella had set the dining room table for us. Complete with lit candles and fresh flowers.

"Looks like Ella's been busy," I said to Ranger.

"She probably thought you'd need a quiet night after today."

"Is everyone expecting me to break down or something?" I asked him."Both Tank and Bobby told me not to worry, that Tavish will be caught soon. Lula promised a shopping trip and lunch when he's locked up. And now Ella's adding candles and flowers to our dinner."

"Babe," Ranger said, standing close to me, brushing my hair back from my face."They know this has got to be hard for you, and they're doing what they can to get you through it. Not because they think you can't handle this, but because they need to feel like they're doing something to help. If they can't catch Tavish for you, then they're going to try to make things better in other ways."

"Really?" I asked.

"Yes, Babe," Ranger said."You've been there for everyone else when they've needed it, and now it's your turn."

"But the guys never ask me for help," I told him."The only thing they probably need from me is a doughnut once in a while."

"You're there every time someone is having a bad day," Ranger said to me."Whether they're pissed off at an apprehension that got fucked up, lying in a hospital bed with a gunshot wound, or homesick because they can't make it back for something important to them, all you have to do is talk to them, or make them laugh, and they immediately feel better."

I don't know how he knew about those things, because the guys didn't show anything that could be seen as a sign of weakness in front of Ranger, but apparently someone has loose lips around here. Unless ...

"That isn't another comment about me being Rangeman entertainment is it?" I asked him.

"No, Babe," Ranger assured me."This is about people wanting to help and support you. And you have to let them."

"This is probably going to sound awful," I said to Ranger,"but I like the thought of_ letting _people help me instead _needing _them to."

Ranger brushed his lips against mine."Only you would say that," Ranger said to me when he lifted his head.

"I'm probably the only person who would need to say it."

He smiled again and took my hand, pulling me into the dining room."Let's eat, Babe."

We sat down and I lifted the cover off the dish Ella had left for me. My eyes opened wide and I was afraid that drool was going to start flowing freely any second. Ella had made me macaroni and cheese! And under what looked suspiciously like a cake dish, I found a pineapple upside down cake for when the macaroni and cheese wore off. I checked out Ranger's plate, grilled chicken and steamed broccoli. Yuck.

"I'll be ready to face armed space invaders after this," I told Ranger, motioning to my plate."Tavish won't know what hit him. How did Ella know what my comfort food was?" It's widely known in my family that if I've reach my limit, mac and cheese was the only thing that made me feel relatively sane again. That was before Ranger. Now mac and cheese was my second go-to."Does she know everything about me, too?"

"Not exactly," Ranger said."Ella wanted to make you something and ..."

"_You_ told her what to make me?" I asked him."Ranger, there's probably six million calories in here. Not to mention a bazillion grams of fat."

"That's why I mentioned the gym, Babe."

"Don't try to downplay just how good you are to me."

"It's not a big deal, Steph," Ranger said.

"Yeah, Ranger," I told him,"it kind of is. I wish I knew half as much about you."

"You know all that you need to."

"Is that your way of getting out of telling me more?" I asked him.

"No, Babe," Ranger said."You know me better than anyone else. That I have a sense of humor and can make a joke when the mood strikes. That I'm capable of making mistakes. Mostly, that I'm human."

I rolled my eyes at him."Of _course_, you're human."

"That's what I mean, Steph," Ranger said."You get that. To everyone else, I'm viewed as something untouchable."

"Well, I've touched you plenty to know that not only are you human," I said to him,"but that you're also a pretty incredible man. One that I'm very happy to know."

"You're the incredible one, Babe."

"No, I'm not," I said,"but thank you for thinking I am."

"You may not believe me, Steph, but it's true."

I smiled at him."You're just trying to distract me so I don't eat this whole plate of food."

He smiled back."Eat away, Babe."

Ranger had poured us each a glass of wine before we came into the dining room. And for the first time since I've really gotten to know him, Ranger emptied his. He's talked about how hard this was for me but, aside from what he said in the car earlier, he hasn't really discussed how this whole thing was affecting him. He was _never_ happy when something like this happened to me, but I knew us being together would probably make this unfortunate part of my life more difficult to deal with.

"Are you handling this okay?" I asked him.

The corners of his mouth tipped up at my question."Afraid _I'm_ going to break down?"

"Not even a little," I told him. Ranger and breaking down didn't go together."It's just that everyone is worried about me, no one has asked you how you're holding up."

"I've had a lot of practice at this, Babe."

"Nice of you to remind me, Ranger."

"I'm not just talking about your history, Babe," Ranger said."Being in the service teaches you how to handle situations like these."

"The military covers having your girlfriend stalked by an over-privileged, greedy, asswipe?"

Ranger's smile widened."Maybe not this _exact _situation," he said,"but ones similar to it. You're taught how to stay in control and put aside emotion, and how to focus on getting the job done without getting distracted."

"And you can do all that even though I'm involved?" I asked him.

"No," he said,"but I'm trying. Having you agree to stay here helps."

"Despite what everyone thinks, Ranger," I told him,"I don't really have a death wish. And I finally got my head, and my life, straightened out. Mostly. Like I told you before, I'm not letting this asshole, or the one after him, mess up what we have together. We just have to find Tavish and convince him of that."

"You have to be patient, Steph," Ranger said."He'll screw up and we'll be right there when he does."

I took a bite of mac and cheese and gave my taste buds a moment to rejoice before speaking again.

"I still can't figure out what he hopes to accomplish here," I said to Ranger."He wants to torment me for what ... revenge? Does he want to get even with me for pulling one over on him? Kill me? It doesn't make any sense. He had someone ready to bail him out of jail and out of trouble. Why would he risk getting locked up again over me? Why not just take off?"

"You can never pinpoint exactly what will set a nutcase off," Ranger said."But I do know from experience that you're a hard woman to forget."

"It's a lot less creepy when _you _say something like that."

"That's what I strive for, Babe," Ranger said."Less creepy."

"Hah-hah," I said to him. Though I was smiling on the inside, knowing that Ranger felt comfortable sharing this side of himself with me.

We finished dinner and, after I had only one piece of cake, we brought the dishes to the kitchen.

"What do you say, Babe," Ranger said,"Ghostbusters then bed?"

"I swear, I'm_ fine_," I told him."If this is the way I'm being treated when Tavish hasn't done anything, I'd like to see what happens if he did. Wait ... that didn't come out right."

"I know what you meant, Babe."

"Good," I said."In all this excitement, did you forget that you hate Ghostbusters?"

"But _you_ don't," he said to me."You'll get to watch the movie and I'll get to watch you."

"Trust me, Ranger, the movie is way more interesting than me."

"Depends who you ask, Babe."

"Okay then, it's a date," I told him."I would pour us more wine, but you've had you're limit."

"I had one glass, Steph."

"And that's half a glass more than you usually have."

"I'm okay, Babe," he told me.

"If you say so," I said to him,"but if you want to talk about it, I'm here."

"That's why I don't have to talk about it," Ranger said,"because you_ are _here."

I was trying to stop myself from kissing him then it dawned on me that there was no reason to. I pressed my lips to his and let my hormones take over. I broke the kiss a minute later and tugged Ranger into the den before he changed his mind. He sat on the couch and pulled me down next to him. Luckily the movie was still in there from the last time I needed it. Ranger had surprised me with a Blu-Ray edition of it not long ago. Maybe he sensed a new disaster heading our way. I leaned more into him and Ranger dropped his arm around my shoulders.

Two hours later, my head had moved to Ranger's thigh and I was drowsy, but not really sleepy.

"Time for bed, Babe."

"Why? Are you tired?" I asked him.

"No, but you are," Ranger said.

"Not so much."

"I bet I can help with that," Ranger said.

"What, do you have some Valium on you?" I asked."Maybe some warm milk? Can you sing lullabies?"

"No, but I do know _how_ to get you relaxed enough for sleep."

"I know where you're going with this," I told him.

"And?"

"_And_ ... what are you waiting for?"

"Since you're not moving from your spot, are you planning on staying here on the couch tonight?" Ranger asked.

"No," I said, sitting up."But I'm thinking that maybe you should carry me to the bedroom so I can save my strength for what we'll be doing in there."

"Is this like earlier when you were trying to use this Tavish situation to get Ella's waffles? And now you're going to use it to get me to carry you twenty feet to the bedroom?"

"Hey," I told him,"if it ain't broke ..."

His lips kicked up a little and then I was in his arms. He dropped me onto the bed and came down on top of me. I wrapped my arms and legs completely around him, and lifted my head up to meet his. Ranger took over the second our lips separated, pulling my shirt over my head and releasing my bra, letting them both land on the floor next to the bed. I peeled his shirt off and added it to mine. He undid my jeans and slid them and my underwear down my legs. I was glad that I'd ditched my shoes in the other room so I could start in on his cargo pants. Ranger pulled back far enough to get rid of his boots and his now unbuttoned pants. Then he was back on top of me, pressing me into the mattress. I welcome the weight of his body and wrapped my legs back around his waist, hoping he'd realize that I was ready for him. Ranger kissed me before his mouth started moving across my bare skin. He kissed my breasts and made sure to spend equal time on both of them. I threaded my fingers through his hair, holding him against me. After what felt like an eternity, I dragged him back up to my mouth and kissed him, using my tongue to show him exactly what I was hoping he was about to do. I reached between us, lifted my hips, and guided Ranger to me. Not that he needed any help. Ranger had something like a homing device when it came to my body. Ranger broke the kiss and looked down at me. He brushed a curl off my forehead and I all but groaned his name.

"Ranger ..."

"Yeah, Babe."

"What are you waiting for?" I asked him.

"You want it short and sweet tonight?"

"I thought that was obvious," I whispered to him.

He kissed me again and slid home. Finally. My fingers dug deep into the muscles of his back, and my eyes took a one-way trip to the back of my head. Ranger started moving and my body did, too, my hips raising up to meet his. When Ranger settled his hands on my hips, holding them still, my brain decide to vacate the premises.

My brain returned, and my eyes opened, a few minutes later. Ranger had eased himself onto his forearms and was looking down at me.

"Crap," I said.

"Babe?"

"I always seem to check out just when we're getting to the good part," I told him.

"Seems to me," Ranger said,"that you got to the good part and that's why you checked out."

"That could be true," I told him, curling my arms around his neck."I_ do _remember feeling pretty good."

Ranger rolled onto his back, pulled me and the blanket over him, and kissed the top of my head.

"Go to sleep, Babe," he said softly.

I settled my head more fully onto the muscles of his chest, closed my eyes, and was asleep in seconds, listening to the sound of Ranger's heart beating underneath me.


	8. Chapter 8

**I wasn't sure about this chapter at first, and was thinking of scrapping it altogether, but after reading through it a couple of times, I started to think it did fit with the story and it actually helped get me one step closer to the ending I have in mind for Gotcha. All familiar characters belong to Janet.**

**Chapter 8**

The day started three hours earlier than I would have liked. And, after looking at the clock, I noticed that it was an hour later than Ranger usually got up. It was his only concession to me this morning. Ranger was sitting next to me on the bed already in his workout clothes, pulling the sheet and blanket off of me. Considering I wasn't wearing anything underneath it, I quickly grabbed at them, effectively making me sit upright.

"Time to take your macaroni and cheese for a walk, Babe," Ranger said, looking at my bare shoulders with interest.

I paused for a beat before answering him."Nope. I just had a consult with it and it wants to go back to sleep, too."

"I'm not going away, Steph."

"You don't have to," I told him."You can climb back into bed with me and I promise not to tell anyone."

"That is tempting," Ranger said, kissing the shoulder closest to him."_Very_ temping, but we have to get moving."

"Why?"

"You have someone stalking you and we need to catch him, Babe."

"Has anything happened?" I asked him.

"Not that I've heard," he told me.

"So we should have at least a few hours free before we're back on the hunt."

"That's why we're working out now," Ranger said,"so we'll be free for the rest of the day."

"_Or _we can go back to sleep and just dream of being healthy," I said. I knew he wasn't going to go for it, but I had to try.

"No."

I blew out a sigh."Okay. I'm getting up."

"Your clothes are in the bathroom," Ranger informed me."I'll be in the kitchen waiting for you."

Jeez, so much for _Sweet_ Ranger waking me up with a 'good morning' and a kiss.

Ranger gave me a grin."Good morning, Babe," he said. And he kissed me.

"Much better," I whispered when he lifted his head.

"Good. Now go get ready," he said, and I got to watch his well-formed backside head to the kitchen. I used to think that Joe had the best ass in Trenton, but I was wrong. Ranger has it. And _now_, so do I.

I grabbed the T-shirt that Ranger had thoughtfully left on the bed for me so I wouldn't have to make a naked dash to the bathroom. Although Ranger had no problems with nudity, mine or his own, I wasn't willing to walk around without something on. If Ranger had been in the bedroom, I wouldn't have been as self-conscious, knowing that he enjoyed looking and touching my body. _Really _enjoyed it. But alone, it just felt weird.

I bypassed the shower for now since I knew Ranger was about to make me sweat, and not in the same way he had last night. I pulled my hair into a ponytail, brushed my teeth, and got dressed in a black tank top with the built-in bra, and black yoga pants. I'd normally be worried that a tank top would be too skimpy to wear in a building where the men clearly outnumbered the two women who work here, but I wasn't carrying around the same amount of cleavage that Lula and Connie were, so I wasn't in danger of driving the men to distraction. Only Ranger if I was lucky. I tied my sneakers and looked in the mirror. Over all, not bad. I wouldn't scare the men, but I wouldn't be fighting them off, either. Perfect.

I met Ranger in the kitchen. He smiled as he took in my messy ponytail and my newly designated gym sneakers that haven't been broken in yet.

"Looking good, Babe," he said, the smile on his face was as warm as his eyes.

"For this early in the morning maybe," I said.

"Steph, you _always_ look good."

"Compared to ...?"

"Compared to _everything_ and _anybody _I've seen," he said.

"You may be a little bias," I told him."And I know what you're doing."

"And what am I doing besides giving you a compliment?"

"You're being overly nice so I'll remember this and want to get up every morning just to experience it."

His smile was back."Is it working?"

"Yes. Too well," I said to him."For today at least. I'll let you know tomorrow if it was a complete success. You may have to step up your game if you want this to be a regular occurrence."

He walked over to me and dropped a kiss on the top of my head near my hairline."Do you want to have breakfast first, or get the gym out of the way?"

"Gym first," I said."That way I can use the thought of breakfast, and what Ella could have made, to get myself through the hell you're about to put me through."

"It's really not that bad," Ranger said."The more you say you hate it, the more you will."

"For _you_ it's not that bad," I said to him,"but I'm not designed to run. I'm more of a walk briskly kind of person."

"Come on, Steph," he said,"we'll start off by _walking briskly _down the stairs to the gym."

"Hold on," I said."Stairs? What's wrong with the elevator?" I agreed to the gym. I didn't okay the stairs.

"Nothing is wrong with it," Ranger told me,"but we're taking the stairs."

"Tavish is looking better and better right now," I said.

"If you can take him on," Ranger said,"you can conquer the stairs and a workout that will help you with him."

"I can't knee him in the groin if my leg is too sore to lift," I told him. I thought that was a valid point.

"You managed to hold your own with me last night," Ranger said, in the tone that never failed to make me crazy with equal parts desire and frustration."And you were using more than your legs while you were doing it. You'll be good in the gym, too."

Yep, now my muscles were loosening, and my blood was flowing. Ranger knew all the short cuts to warming me up. And I knew that I had also managed to_ move _Ranger a time or two myself. Ranger let me go out ahead of him, probably to make sure that I didn't run back inside. He laced his fingers through mine and we walked together down to the gym.

The Rangeman gym was a large, brightly lit space that took up almost a whole floor with one wall of nothing but treadmills, stair climbers, and elliptical machines. Mats separated the wall of cardio hell from the weight benches and boxing area. There were heavy bags, speed bags, jump ropes, and floor to ceiling shelves of gloves, protective gear, and handwraps. Rangeman had it all. I just didn't want to use any of it. But if I wanted Ella to surprise me once in a while with something that wasn't laced with vegetables, I had to put in the time it took to work off at least half of the calories I ate. I couldn't even get upset about it since Ranger made everyone who worked here do the same thing. And he's already made more allowances than I would have ever thought possible. I would never admit it to Ranger, but I was also relieved that he was pushing me to exercise. I was a little worried that the day would come when my Hungarian metabolism would shut down and I wouldn't be able to button my jeans no matter what short term diet I tried, so I went along with him and forced myself to do this a couple of times a month to try to combat my love of all things bad for me.

Ram and Cal were sparring on the mats, Bobby was using a speed bag, Woody was on one of the elliptical machines, and it wasn't even six thirty yet.

"You people are sick," I whispered to Ranger.

"No, Babe," Ranger said back,"we're _healthy_. Which I think you know is the opposite of 'sick'."

"Healthy/crazy," I said,"tomatoes/tamahtoes."

"What do you want to start with?" Ranger asked.

"Treadmill. I want to get running out of the way," I told him."You know, I've found that it's easier to run when someone is actually chasing you." Death by maniac is quicker to react to than death by doughnut.

"I don't _have_ to chase you, Babe," Ranger said."I already caught you."

"Yeah, and I've never been happier that you did."

"Glad to hear it, Steph."

I chose the machine furthest from Woody. I didn't want to embarrass myself by not being in better shape. I suppose nightly rounds of Ranger sex, and running away from a stalker or angry FTAs a couple of times a month wasn't the best way of achieving optimal fitness. I'm really going to have to get serious about this soon. Not today, but _soon_.

Ranger chose a machine close to me and proceeded to kick my ass at both speed and time. I didn't care. I managed two miles without a cramp, and without grunting or moaning too much. Ranger must have heard a little of it, though, since I noticed through my pain that his darkened eyes had cut to me more than once. It seemed everything I did, intentional or not, turned him on. That definitely isn't something I'm going to be sorry about.

When I was done, I gave my legs a second to get used to not having to run anymore and watched the guys throw punches for a minute before collapsing onto one of the empty mats while I waited for Ranger to finish up.

"You want to try some weights, Babe?" Ranger asked a few minutes later.

"Not really," I told him.

"Let's go, Steph. I'll spot you."

"Oh goody," I whispered,"he'll_ spot _me."

Ranger turned and gave me a full-on smile. The shot of electricity that went through me when he did was enough to get me moving closer to him, and to one of the stupid weight benches.

"Fine," I said to him."I'll try. But you'd better not let that bar fall on me."

"You'll be fine, Steph," Ranger said."I promise."

He grabbed the five pound weights, which looked dinky compared to all the other ones, and my not wanting to look wimpy overrode my not wanting to do this in the first place.

"I can lift more than that," I told Ranger.

"Want to try ten pounds then?" He asked.

"Yes." I really hope my pride wasn't going to cost me the use of my arms.

Ranger stood behind the bench ready to gently clasp my elbows. I laid down and looked up at Ranger. Damn. He even looked good upside down. He helped to support me as I lifted the bar that had to be more than twenty pounds all on it's own. At least, it felt like it was. This was humiliating, because I knew Ranger could probably lift twice his own body weight, and I couldn't even manage a quarter of my own. With Ranger's help, I lasted a whole six minutes before my arms started feeling rubbery.

"Okay, Babe," Ranger said,"you did good, but I think you're done."

"My arms agree," I told him. I wasn't sweating rivers, but I was well past_ 'dewy'. _Sweat was attractive on Ranger. On me, it was just gross.

"Do you want to go up against one of the bags?" Ranger asked."Or do you want to head up for breakfast now?"

"Hmm, punching something I think I can handle," I said, surprising myself. I wasn't feeling as crappy as I usually did after an hour like this one. Maybe Ranger was onto something here. Working out may actually get easier the longer you do it. Who knew?

He walked me over to a bag that was shaped like the head and torso of a man.

"The top of this guy is kind of hot," I said to Ranger about the fake guy I was about to attack."Or the model for it is."

"Babe."

"Not as hot as you," I told him."But not bad."

"Good thing I'm not the jealous type," Ranger said.

"You are a little, but you never have reason to be."

"You taking on Bob?" Cal asked, walking over to us.

"Bob?" I asked."You guys named him?"

"Not really," Cal said."It's called a body opponent bag. B.O.B. for short."

"He looks more like a Jake to me," I said to them."Half of him does anyway. Okay, Bob, sorry I'm about to let you have it."

Cal laughed and Ranger smiled.

"Let me show you some of the more effective shots that won't require you to put a lot of force behind them," Ranger said.

It didn't take long for us to draw a crowd. Bobby, Woody, Cal, and Ram, who were in the gym already along with a few men who'd straggled in afterwards, were all giving me pointers on how to stand, where to hit, and were sharing some stories about where they used something similar in a particularly nasty fight. Stories that my stomach wasn't sure it wanted to hear first thing in the morning, or _ever. _

"Okay, guys," I said to everyone, brushing my hair out of my face,"I need a break."

We'd been at it for about twenty minutes, and my hair had long since come out of my ponytail. Now I was a little sore, but it was good to know that a solid elbow, kick, or knee, to someone's kidneys can get the same results as a kick to the balls to cause a lot of pain and bring down a person bigger than I am. Ranger and the guys also informed me that the sternum, nose, and temple, were all sensitive areas to concentrate on if I needed to.

"Just be careful that you don't hit too hard and kill the guy," Ram said,"unless that was your goal or you'll be up on charges."

"Thanks a lot, Ram," I told him."Like I needed something else to think about."

"You won't have to worry about that, Babe," Ranger said.

"Charges have a way of being dropped when Ranger steps in," Bobby said.

Ranger shot him a look and Bobby quickly shut up.

"Am I going to remember all of this?" I asked them, leaning up against Ranger. My legs were tired. It had nothing at all to do with the pull I feel every time I'm close to Ranger.

He draped an arm across my shoulders, sweat and all. If that isn't love, I don't know what is.

"Your subconscious will remember everything for you," Vince said.

"Your body will know exactly what to do before your mind kicks in," Ranger told me.

"That's reassuring," I said."I'm not usually thinking clearly in those kinds of situations."

"You've proven that you can take care of yourself if you're put in that position, Babe," Ranger said."What's going on now shows just how well."

"Ranger," I said to him,"I'm hiding in a secure building, surrounded by thirty trained bodyguards twenty-four hours a day."

"And if Tavish did the impossible and went through all of us and got to you?" Ranger asked."What would you do?"

"Treat him to a workout like the one Bob here just got."

Ranger squeezed me tighter."You'll be fine as long as you trust us to do our jobs and what you yourself can do."

"Trusting you guys, I don't have a problem with," I told them.

"You trust your instincts, too, Steph," Ranger said to me."You've relied on them too many times to doubt that."

"You're right about that," I said, thinking about all the hinky feelings I've felt, and then ran blindly with, during my bounty hunting career. I can also sense when Macy's is about to have a huge sale, but somehow I didn't think Ranger would be impressed by that

"Any of us would be happy to partner with you," Bobby said."You may not be able to shoot worth a crap until you run out of options, but your instincts are spot on every time."

"Thanks, Bobby," I said."That means a lot. But for the time being, the only partner I'm getting is Ranger."

"And that bothers you?" Ranger said to me.

"No," I told him."I couldn't ask for a better one, but I really just want this over with so I can go back to doing what I want without feeling like I've got a target on my back."

"You will soon, Babe," Ranger said."Let's clean up and we can get back to finding Tavish and ending this."

"Sounds like a plan," I told him.

We said goodbye to the guys and took the elevator to Ranger's apartment. Ranger must have known that I would have put up a fight about taking the stairs again, because he didn't push the issue. Either that or he was now feeling completely threatened by my new ass-beating techniques. Probably that wasn't it, but I didn't mind telling myself that it was.

My niece Angie is always saying how we should do our part to help the environment. So with that in mind, I suggested Ranger shower with me to conserve water. Though we didn't really accomplish what I was going for, because we ended up in there twice as long as we would have stayed if we'd taken separate ones. But during our shower Ranger did all the heavy lifting and I got clean, relaxed, and messaged all at the same time, so I'd managed to conserve energy if nothing else.

Ranger went to the dressing room to get clothes for us while I dried my hair. I was finishing my makeup when it occurred to me that Ranger was taking his time with my clothes. My neck tingle has been pretty much constant since I've been around Ranger almost non-stop, so I didn't notice that he'd been standing in the doorway watching me, fully dressed, with my uniform in his hands.

"Do you ever make noise?" I asked him.

"I've been trained not to, Babe."

"Would you consider wearing a bell then?"

"No."

"Worth a shot," I said to him.

"Ella just brought breakfast up," Ranger said.

"Oh good, so you weren't standing there watching me for the last ten minutes?"

"Afraid not, Steph," Ranger said."I was only watching for the last five."

I blew out a sigh."I wish you were kidding."

"I never kid."

"I know. Good thing I'm used to you now."

Ranger grinned, handed me my clothes, and bent his head to kiss me where my neck and shoulder met.

"Thank you," I said to him.

"No problem, Babe."

Ranger stepped away from me, but didn't move past the bathroom door.

"You're going to stand there and watch me get dressed?" I asked him.

Ranger took that as more of a suggestion than a question.

"Best idea I've heard today," Ranger told me.

He leaned against the doorjamb, waiting to see what I was going to do. Well, if he wasn't at all embarrassed then I refused to be, too. And wasn't I just saying that I wouldn't feel uncomfortable if Ranger was watching me walk naked to the bathroom? Time to put up or shut up, Stephanie, I thought, as I set my clothes on the counter and dropped my towel. I've always wanted to be one of those women who were completely confident in their own skin, and now was a perfect time to see how it felt. I could actually feel Ranger's eyes as he watched me. I stepped into my skimpy black panties and slowly drew them up my legs before slipping my arms through the straps of my matching black lace bra. I looked up as I reached behind my back to hook it and got caught in Ranger's steady gaze. My blue eyes met his dark ones and refused to move from the intensity in them. I was sure that if the world chose that moment to blow up, Ranger and I wouldn't have noticed. This was a different experience, getting _dressed _in front of someone vs getting _undressed_. This felt more intimate than sexual. I pulled on my black cargo pants and smoothed my T-shirt down over my chest. I was wishing that I had _more _clothes to put on. Who knew I'd ever be wanting _that _around Ranger? Well, around Ranger _after _we got together. _Before_, I needed all the protection I could get. Now I was usually looking forward to losing as many clothes as possible.

After I was finished putting my hair back into yet another ponytail, Ranger handed me my socks and sneakers before kissing me.

"You are one helluva woman, Babe," Ranger said. His eyes still dilated.

"I hope you enjoyed yourself," I said to him. Because I know I sure as heck did.

"I did, Steph, but just remember that you don't have to do anything extra to make me enjoy being with you."

"If I'm being honest, neither do you," I said to him."All you have to do is breathe and my eyes glaze over."

"Too bad we weren't this honest with each other in the past," Ranger said, though I was pretty sure he knew the control he had over my body even back then.

"Be glad that I wasn't," I told him."I would have confused the hell out of you. God knows I'd confused myself there for a while."

"And you're no longer confused?" Ranger asked.

He was smiling so I knew he was aware of what my answer was going to be. I'd taken a leap of faith not pushing Ranger away that night, and I haven't looked back. But even after all the time I'd spent thinking, wondering, and dreaming, about how good we could be, what we have together still blew everything I'd ever imagined out of the water. And that was including my new stalker.

"Nope," I said to him, finally."I can honestly say that I'm not at all confused about what I want."

"And that is ...?"

"You. A Tastykake. And Tavish locked up," I told him."In that order."

Ranger gave his head a small shake."Thank you for putting me before the Tastykake," he said after a beat.

"You almost always come before a Tastykake," I told him.

"Shouldn't Tavish come before it, too?" Ranger asked.

"He should," I said,"but he doesn't."

Ranger curled an arm around me, and kissed me near my temple where a curl had already escaped.

"Let's eat breakfast and get back to work," Ranger said."Then all you'll have to want is me and Tastykakes. And I bet if I put my mind to it, I can make you forget all about them."

I rolled my eyes at him."Big talk," I said."And probably not possible. But you're welcome to try to convince me."

"Babe, you know how much I love a challenge."

I had a feeling that I'd love that challenge, too.

We walked into the kitchen and I only sighed a little when there was no pancakes, french toast, or waffles, under the lid of my breakfast dish, but at least I wouldn't have anything major to work off tomorrow. I could probably sleep in. That thought alone made the egg white breakfast wrap taste even better.

"You're not going to come willingly with me to the gym tomorrow, are you?" Ranger asked, watching me again. You'd think he'd have more diverse interests by now.

"Probably not," I told him."But I'm not ruling it out, either."

"I'm making progress then."

"You usually do," I said.

As Ranger used to say, _someday, _I'll be a little more like him. Or one of his men. Or even Ella. She can hold her own and scare people, too. I think that was a requirement to work here at Rangeman.

Just as we were finishing up breakfast I heard my cell ring. I couldn't stop the second of panic from forming at the sound. It seemed like the days of Lula needing a ride, or my mother calling to ask when I was coming over again, were long gone. When in truth, it'd only been a few days. Now it was like I was just waiting for bad news to find me. I picked up my cell and looked at the screen. Joe. Morelli hasn't been calling me just to chat anymore, so I was pretty sure I was about to get more of the bad news I was expecting. I was unfortunately proved right when I answered.

"Hey, Joe," I said, wondering how bad this was for him to call me personally. We weren't _not_ friends, but we haven't figured out exactly how our friendship was going to work yet.

"Hi, Cupcake," Joe said to me."How are you?"

"Truthfully, I've been better," I told him.

Ranger was keeping a close eye on me. I gave him a small smile which was quickly gone when Joe started talking.

"That's why I'm calling. A stripper from The Dirty Mine was just found near the park," Joe told me."She was beaten pretty badly."

I could tell that he didn't want to be making this phone call, and I could also tell that he was holding something back from me.

"Just say it, Joe," I told him.

"You couldn't tell now by looking at her, but from a picture we have she's around your height, has dark curly hair, and blue eyes."

I knew where this was going and I started to see little black dots in front of my eyes. Ranger was in front of me immediately, taking the phone out of my hand.

"Morelli, what the hell did you say to her?" Ranger demanded into the phone.

Ranger listened to Joe and calmly rubbed the back of my neck while he did. That helped me push the fear and nausea away. For now. Losing it wasn't going to help. Ranger disconnected after assuring Joe that I was all right.

"You brought Joe into this?" I asked Ranger.

"No. I brought the Trenton PD into it," he said to me."I don't want them ruining what I already have in place, but it doesn't hurt to extra contacts in different fields. Word must have trickled down to Morelli."

"So this woman was attacked because she looks like me?" I asked.

"A friend of hers at the club said Jennifer Owen told her that she'd met a man who was 'so into her' that he was willing to wait there until after her shift ended just so they could go somewhere and get to know each other," Ranger said, repeating what Joe had told him."She was seen leaving the club with him shortly after."

"Let me guess who it was," I said, trying to keep my fury under control,"the current bain of my existence, Steven Tavish."

"The friend ID'd him," Ranger said."But now we have what we need to get him put away for a long time, Steph. This is more than just a stalking case now."

"I know, but I wish someone didn't have to get hurt to help us."

"Stephanie, listen to me," Ranger said,"none of this is your fault."

"Probably for the first time," I said, trying to give him a small smile. I wasn't very successful.

"Haven't you told me that I'm not responsible for everything bad that happens?" He asked me.

"Uh-huh," I said,"but it's not the same."

"It_ is _the same," Ranger said, cupping my cheek in his hand."You can't control how someone is going to react to you. You're only responsible for your own actions."

"I do get that, Ranger," I told him."That's why I'm trying to listen to you instead of rushing out of here and making things worse."

"And you're doing an excellent job so far," he said, no doubt flashing back to when I stayed here when Junkman was after me."We_ are _going to catch him, Babe. And if it takes a little longer because I'm not willing to use you as bait, then it's going to have to take longer. I meant what I said before, I can't lose you, Stephanie. Not now. And not ever." And his mouth found mine.

Well, when he put it like that, how could I argue? I didn't want him to lose me, either. So as Ranger's perfect lips moved over mine, I promised myself, and Ranger, that I wasn't going to go crazy. And I for sure wasn't going to do anything stupid. As I opened my mouth to his, I mentally told myself that I could be patient. When his tongue touched mine, I changed that to, I _can _be patient. When my arms circled his neck and I pressed my body along the front of his, Ivowed to be the most patient person in the whole freakin' world. As far as I was concerned, forever still wasn't long enough to be with Ranger. And I'll be damned if I let someone try to shorten the amount of time we do have together.

Ranger's hands slid down to my hips as he lifted his head. I think the lip-to-lip contact improved his mind-reading skills.

"I trust you not to get yourself killed," Ranger said."And you have to believe that I'll get him."

"I do believe you, Ranger," I said, looking up at him,"without hesitation or reservation. I just feel like I should be doing more."

"We'll head downstairs and find Tank to see if there's any new information."

"I'm betting there isn't," I said to him."Tank would have called."

"Baby steps, Babe."

"Sorry."

He gave my hips an extra squeeze and went to get the file we had on Tavish from his desk, and probably four weapons from the safe. I was waiting for Ranger by the front door when my cell rang again. I was really starting to hate the frickin' thing. It wasn't Morelli calling to say that the woman had died, thank God, but Connie instead. And while no one was hurt, her news wasn't any better.

"A few minutes after I opened the office," Connie told me before I even finished saying hello,"some guy walked in carrying a huge arrangement of flowers. I thought since Lula called to say she'd be late again, and the looks of the guy who brought them, that the flowers may have been from one of Lula's admirers. I got a little nosy and opened the card that came with them, wanting to see who her new boy toy was. But the card didn't have any names on it. All it had was a _'three'_. That was strange enough to make me think it had something to do with you instead."

"Thanks a lot, Connie," I told her.

"Am I wrong?" She asked.

I blew out a sigh."No, but I really wish you were."

Ranger had come back and was looking at me with eyebrows raised. I mouthed _Connie _so he'd know there wasn't anything new from Joe. That didn't make him relax, though. He knew something was up.

"They're from your new whackjob, aren't they?"

"I'm afraid so," I said."Morelli called to tell me someone from The Dirty Mine who looks similar to me was left beaten in the park."

"Fuck."

"Yeah, that's what I thought, too."

"That's bad, but you just have to keep reminding yourself that you have something she didn't. You have Ranger and Rangeman helping you," Connie said."This Tavish freak won't be able to get close enough to you to do anything like that."

"That's what Ranger keeps telling me," I said to her.

"You should believe him. Ranger knows what he's doing," Connie said to me."And he's never wrong."

I laughed at her attempt to cheer me up."Yeah, that's why I keep him around."

Now it was her turn to laugh."I'm sure _that's _the reason all right."

"Well, there are a few others," I said,"but that's the biggest one."

"He's standing next to you, isn't he?" Connie asked.

"Yup. Has been even before Morelli called."

"Good. Don't let him go too far away."

"Somehow I don't think that's going to be an issue," I told her.

"What should I do with these?" Connie asked.

"Why don't you put them outside for now," I said to her."You know, just in case."

"Good idea. A bug, bomb, or anthrax, could be hidden in here. And so could a small city. This guy is nuts, but he has great taste."

"I'll tell him you said that when we catch him," I told her.

"You'd better not. I don't want him after me next," Connie said."I'm thinking maybe I'll give these to Vinnie to take care of. He's like a cockroach in that nothing can kill him."

"Just keep the card," I said."I don't think it'll help, but it can't hurt to have it." We said goodbye and I disconnected. I turned to Ranger and told him about the flowers.

"Three?" I said to him when I was done."What the heck does that mean?"

"Don't know, Babe," Ranger said, wrapping his arms around me,"but we'll figure it out."

The meaning soon became clear when I got a call from my mother right after Connie, and Ranger got two calls back-to-back from separate Rangemen. One who was keeping tabs on my apartment and one who saw the guy drop the flowers next to the Rangeman gate. The three men, four counting the bonds office guy, who delivered my 'gifts' looked like they sold something other than flowers for a living. Which was the first thing my mother commented on.

"Honestly, Stephanie," my mother said,"where do you find these people?"

"_I_ didn't find them," I told her."Steven Tavish did."

She was silent for a long moment, long enough to cross herself at least twice.

"This involves that man you warned me about?" She asked finally.

"Yes."

"What should I do?" She asked."Call the police? Throw them away? It would be a real shame to dump them out, these are beautiful flowers."

What was with these people? First Connie and now my mother.

"How about opening the card," I said, rolling my eyes at her even though she couldn't see me do it. Flowers from maniacs are bad whether they are pretty or not. And I knew without a doubt that there would be no prints on the card, so calling the police probably wouldn't help. Though I'm sure Ranger will be sending someone for them as soon as I told him there was another drop off.

"That's odd," she said."The card is blank except for a number two."

"Two?" I said. _Three_ from the bonds office card. _Two_ on the second card from my parents' house. A countdown? That didn't sound good at all.

"The card has nothing else written on it?" I asked my mother. Connie had said that her card was blank except for the number.

"Only your name written on the outside of the envelope," my mother said.

Connie didn't know who the flowers were for so I knew her envelope didn't have my name on it. Guess Tavish didn't want to take the chance of the flowers not being given to me, since flower deliveries would be more common at my parents' house than the bonds office.

"Okay," I said."Thanks for letting me know." And I gave her the same instructions as I gave Connie.

"Are you any closer to arresting this man?" She asked me."There must be laws about doing this kind of thing."

There is, but they aren't helpful unless you can actually find the guy. Of course, if they would have kept him locked up where he belonged in the first place, I wouldn't have to be going through this right now.

"We're making progress," I told her, not wanting her to worry. An overly worried mother wasn't going to help this situation any.

I disconnected, anxious to find out what Ranger learned from his calls while I was talking to my mother even though I had a pretty good idea of what was going on already.

"Well?" I asked Ranger.

"There were flowers left outside the door to your apartment," Ranger told me."And Hal saw the other delivery from the fifth floor monitor. He sent someone after them, but the kid was already in a car and gone by the time Manuel got there. We do have a license plate, but I think he's just a street kid looking to make a quick buck delivering the flowers. But we're checking him out anyway."

Ranger had pulled me against him, his arms securely around me again. I think we both needed the contact. It had been such a good morning. Now this. I took a deep breath, inhaling the comforting scent of Bulgari enhanced Ranger that instantly slowed my racing heart.

"Obviously he's learned more about me while he's been hiding if he knows I work for both you and Vinnie," I said to Ranger."Maybe he's figured out that I've been staying with you. Why else would he send flowers here? What did the cards say?"

"The one Binkie picked up from your apartment had a number oneon it."

"Guess I was right about a countdown," I said,"but a countdown to what? And what would come after one, anyway? What was written on the card left at the gate?"

Ranger pulled back a little and looked straight into my eyes, like he was trying to gauge what my reaction would be to his answer. Crap. If Ranger didn't want to tell me, it had to be worse than I thought. I tried to prepare myself for what he could possibly say next, but Ranger still wasn't talking.

"Ranger, what did it say?" I asked him again.

"Babe," Ranger said to me, not bothering to mask the anger he felt,"the last card said ... _Gotcha_."


	9. Chapter 9

**I didn't want to use Tank again so soon, since he was a large part of the last update I posted for another story, but he's the one who takes over Rangeman when Ranger's not available so I couldn't not have Tank involved in this chapter. If nothing else, I hope it shows the progression of Stephanie and Tank's friendship from this story to their later one in "Changes in the Air." All familiar characters belong to Janet.**

**Chapter 9**

Okay breathe, Stephanie, I told myself. Remember what you were saying about being patient and not making things worse. In the past I've faced a flamethrower, a mutant snake, and I've slept with Dickie Orr. _This_ is nothing compared to any of those. That's what I was going to make myself believe anyway. I blew out another breath, opened my eyes, and focused on Ranger. Uh-oh, looks like_ I _wasn't the one I needed to worry about. Ranger was standing so still, I wasn't sure if he was still breathing. His eyes were fixed on the wall in front him, seeing something only visible to him.

"Ranger ..." I started to say, but stopped when his eyes moved from where he'd been staring to me.

I had to force myself not to take a step back at the rage I saw burning there, and I wondered how many people saw that exact same look just before a trigger was pulled or a knife plunged deep. Not missing my sudden nervousness, Ranger quickly replaced the rage with his blank expression, which somehow seemed even worse. I had to get him talking so he wouldn't stay in his own head too much longer. I didn't want to risk not being able to get through to him.

I took both of his hands in mine and brought them up between us to my lips. I never thought I'd have to say this to _Ranger_ of all people, but here goes ...

"Ranger, you have to calm down," I said to him, watching his face carefully.

His own lips tipped up slightly at the corners, but his eyes still weren't looking altogether friendly.

"I'm _extremely_ calm, Babe," Ranger said.

"Yeah, but it's a freaky type of calm," I told him."Like when you go to the beach and the water looks incredibly peaceful so you jump in only to get eaten by a shark a second later."

Ranger didn't acknowledge my comment, he just focused on the latest threat.

"You are _not_ to leave this building without me," he said."I don't want you out of my sight until I personally have my hands on Steven Tavish."

Yep, a freakin' big-ass shark lurking in _very_ shallow water. Looks like this conversation was going to have to be handled delicately. Not exactly my specialty, but for Ranger I'd try. It was a little strange to be the one in control between the two of us, but I knew if _Ranger_ was the one being harassed, the last thing_ I'd _be is _in control_.

"Ranger, I already agreed not to go further than the first floor," I told him."He can't get to me here and he knows it. He's just trying to freak me out and I'm trying not to let him, but I can't block him out if I'm worried about you going all commando on me."

"I'll always go _commando_ around you."

That would have scared me a little if I didn't see his eyes go from full-blown fury to smoldering passion in front of mine. Yep, my Ranger was with me again. In body, and in mind. And I was feeling something, but it was no longer fear. Ranger could always bend a conversation to his will anytime he wanted to.

"How do you do that?" I asked him, letting his hands go.

"Do what, Babe?"

"Go from Rambo to Romeo in the blink of an eye."

"It's you, Stephanie. I seem to always be fighting the urge to either strangle you, make love to you, or eliminate anyone threatening you. Which is why I need to know you're safe at all times so my mind is free to concentrate on doing my job."

I smiled at him."I thought your_ 'job' _was to keep me happy."

"It is, Steph. And I take my work very seriously."

"I know you do," I told him."That's why even with Tavish breathing down my neck, I _am_ happy."

"You should never have been anywhere near him."

"Ranger, you couldn't predict how irresistible he'd find me."

"You're irresistible to everyone, Babe."

"It _is_ a heavy burden," I managed to say without laughing.

Ranger circled my waist with his arm and hauled me against him.

"See, you just proved my point. You can't keep your hands off me."

"True, Babe, but we really shouldn't be making jokes about this," he said to me.

"What's the alternative?"

"I find this asshole and rip him apart piece by piece."

"Eww, Ranger. Gross." But before I could say anything else, Ranger's cell went off. I wasn't going to let the conversation end on that note, so I reached into Ranger's pocket and answered his phone for him mid-ring.

"He'll call you right back," I told whoever was on the line. I disconnected and put his phone back where I found it, careful not to brush against anything that would make either of our attention shift to something not Tavish related. We needed to finish this discussion before we did anything else.

"Babe," Ranger said, one eyebrow raised.

He didn't go back to looking like he was about to murder someone, so I took that as a good sign. I didn't want Ranger hurt or in trouble over this, Bobby's comment about dropped charges aside. We had to agree on a plan beyond me hiding until Tavish is caught.

"We need to talk before we head back downstairs," I told Ranger.

"You're not leaving," he said.

"No, I'm not. But I need to do something to help."

"You can help by not leaving my side," he told me. And I don't think he was kidding.

"Does that mean I can have your office?" I asked him.

"You can have _anything_ of mine that you have your eye on, Babe."

"You're not going to distract me with those possibilities," I told him."I have access to every Rangeman program available, there has to be something or somebody who can help us catch him."

"You mean someone we haven't already talked to or are staking out?" He asked me."The only thing we haven't done is dangle you in front of him and wait for him to make a grab for you. And before you say anything_ that _is not, and will_ never _be, an option."

Crap. I blew out a sigh and Ranger brushed his fingers against my cheek.

"I'm trying here, Ranger," I said to him,"but I'll go stir crazy if I have nothing to do."

"There are plenty of things to do here, Steph," he said to me."And you know the gym is always open if you get desperate."

"I knew you'd find a way to bring up that place. This morning was fun, but I don't know if I'm cut out for more than an hour a couple of days a week. And we have no idea how long this is going to last."

"You're the one who said you wanted to stay busy. I'm only offering you a solution."

"I'd rather slam my fingers repeatedly in my desk drawer," I told him.

"That would also kill time."

It was a good thing he was standing close to me so I couldn't kick him like I wanted to.

"You can try, Babe," Ranger said, with what could only be called a smirk,"but your legs will be wrapped around me before you make any other contact."

"One of these days I _will_ have the upper hand."

"You already do," Ranger said.

"Yeah, right."

"It's true, Steph, whether you believe it or not. Not many people can hang up on Tank and live to tell about it."

"Shit. That was Tank on the phone?" I asked.

"Yes. I told him to call me when he had information on the kid who dropped off the gate flowers."

"So we have something to go on?"

"Maybe."

"Then what are we still doing up here?"

"Is it safe to let you go?" Ranger asked.

"Depends. How brave are you?"

"Very."

No kidding.

I stood up on tiptoes so I could be eye to eye with him."This is just another day at the office for me, Ranger. And I'll survive this one like I have all the others. I promise," I said against his lips.

His mouth brushed mine when he smiled."Let's go see what Tank found out."

"He's not going to kill me, is he?" I asked. I wasn't really afraid he would, but if you catch any one of these guys on a bad day all bets are off.

"No, Babe. I wouldn't let him."

We left the apartment and returned to the elevator, not nearly as relaxed as we were this morning. The Merry Men were waiting when the doors opened, with Tank, Bobby, and Lester leading the pack. The control room was usually buzzing with the low murmur of men's voices, clicking of computers keys, or the opening and closing of the refrigerator in the little kitchen. Today it was almost completely silent and a palpable tension hung in the air. No surprise there. Everyone would have heard all about Owen and my flower freak. And pissed off didn't scratch the surface of the mood they were all in.

Maybe this was actually a good thing. Not an innocent woman getting beaten up, or the large group of angry men who could wipe out a small country in minutes spoiling for a fight, but having to concentrate on talking Ranger down, and now these guys, left me little chance to get mad or scared myself. And I knew from past experience, that's one step in the right direction for keeping Stupid Stephanie from interfering.

"Hey guys. What's up?" I asked, trying to squelch the smile that formed at the looks they all gave me. I saw everything from glares to incredulity.

"You know what the fuck is up?" Lester said, hands on his hips, his lips pulled tight instead of being curved into his trademark grin. Right now I couldn't see any sign of the company clown.

"Santos," Tank barked.

"What? We can't let this fucker threaten Stephanie."

"Lester, I'm fine," I said soothingly, not wanting his anger to spread. It would be like a match tossed into gasoline with these guys. The rest of Ranger's men looked stoic, but you could clearly see that they were seconds away from exploding. I was touched by their reaction and also exasperated by it at the same time. I didn't want Tavish's hatred of me to infect these guys. They were all too sweet for their own good. At least they were eighty percent of the time

"Listen up guys. This isn't the first time I've been in the middle of something like this," I told them. Ranger slid his arm around me and pulled me closer to his body, as if someone was going to walk into Rangeman right now and try to separate us. Looks like I have more reassuring to do as soon as I was finished here.

"It definitely isn't, Babe."

"And I may not have signed up for basic training, or been part of covert military coups overseas, but when it comes to stalkers, I'm a veteran at dealing with them," I said to everyone."And while I won't go as far as to say that it doesn't bother me, I'm not about to give this prick the satisfaction of knowing that he's getting to me. We all know that I've got more protection than the freakin' president here. So we just have to be patient and wait for him to screw up."

"Since when are _you _patient, Steph?" Bobby asked.

"Let's just say that I'm motivated to try and leave it at that," I told him.

"Bet I can guess the_ 'motivation'_," Lester said.

Since Lester was back to acting like an ass, I was suddenly less concerned about his. I ignored him and finally looked over at Tank who'd been watching me closely. Uh-oh.

"I'm sorry I hung up on you, Tank," I told him.

And I could feel the men hold their collective breath at that.

"Let's talk in Ranger's office," Tank said, and walked away.

"Crap," I said to Ranger.

"He's all bark no bite, Babe," Ranger said to me.

"Yeah, right," I said."There's probably teeth marks on half the population of Stark Street."

"Half of Rangeman, too," Bobby added helpfully.

"Remember what you promised about not letting him kill me?" I asked Ranger.

"Yes."

"I'm holding you to it."

"What are we supposed to do?" Lester asked."We need to be doing_ something _other than sitting on our asses until this asshole makes another move."

"That's what I said!" I told Lester.

"Get every man we have available here and we'll meet in the conference room after I talk to Tank."

"Maybe we should meet now," I said.

"You'll be fine, Babe," Ranger said."Tank is pissed off at the situation, not at you."

"Sure," I said, not really believing him. Tank looked like he was pissed at me. But then again, Tank_ always _looked pissed to an untrained eye. Before Ranger and I got close, and I started hanging around the men more, I thought Tank donned that particular expression right along with his Rangeman uniform in the morning. I know him a little better now, but he can still intimidate the crap out of me if I'm not on my a-game.

Ranger's hand slid up to my back and he gave me a gentle push towards his office.

Tank was standing with his back to the wall when we walked in. Ranger closed the door and sat down behind his desk. I was too nervous to sit until Tank, who stood there like an implacable mountain of black, took a load off himself. He didn't, so I stayed standing.

"What are you planning?" Tank asked Ranger.

"Huh?" I said. I thought I was about to get chewed out for hanging up on Ranger's second in command while he was trying to reach Ranger. It never occurred to me that Ranger was right about Tank being angry about Tavish, not at my rudeness.

"Told you, Babe."

"Don't you ever get tired of being right all the time?" I asked Ranger.

"No."

Tank seemed to have some idea of what we were talking about.

"Stephanie, I was more surprised by Ranger letting someone touch his phone than I was at you hanging up on me."

"You're not mad?" I asked him.

"No. I figured after the news you two just got, you'd need time to digest it," Tank said."But do it again and you'll see mad."

That wasn't a warning I needed.

"I called to let you know that Junior found your flower runner," Tank told Ranger."Name is Isaiah Jones. We got lucky. Our resident Stark rat recognized him and told Junior where he was hanging out. Jones told Junior that Tavish approached him outside of a liquor store off Bridge Street and offered him a hundred dollars to drop off the flowers."

"Wow. No grass growing on you guys," I said, suitably impressed by their quick results as well as the contacts they obviously had everywhere."So Tavish did handle the flowers personally."

"Yes, but one of the reasons Jones could give us a detailed description of Tavish is because he was wearing a pair of latex gloves. Jones wanted to remember what he looked like so he could check tomorrow's paper to see if Tavish's picture would be in it, or if anyone had been murdered in the area in connection to him."

"That's sick," I said to Tank."Please tell me the gloves didn't have blood on them." They probably didn't. No one could be that stupid.

"Those didn't," Tank said."But when Jones went to get the flowers from the car, he said he saw another glove half hidden under some junk with what he thought was blood on it."

Oh God. That meant he made a conscious decision to not leave prints or DNA.

Ranger came around the desk to sit next to me on the couch, which is where my butt landed after my knees had given out. I really didn't want to think that the flowers were a link between me and the woman he just beat the crap out of. The flowers were creepy enough on their own, but the thought of this Jennifer person being left as an offering to me - like a cat would leave a dead mouse at it's owner's door - took _crazy _to the extreme.

"He had the whole thing set up didn't he?" I asked."So I'd get the flowers not long after I heard about her?"

"Because of Owen, he'll go down, Steph," Ranger said."He was the last one seen with her. If we get the glove before he disposes of it that will only seal his fate faster. There should be enough evidence to convict him. And if Owen wakes up, she'll be able to finger Tavish as the one who attacked her."

"_When _she wakes up," I said, correcting him.

Ranger gave me a small smile.

"So sue me. I'm an optimist."

"Good," Tank said."We need one of those around here."

I wrapped my arm around Ranger's waist and leaned into him, listening to the steady thumping of his heart again. I now understood why people say this sound is comforting, because I knew that as long as Ranger was breathing, I'd be okay. Tank decided to be social and turned the chair in front of Ranger's desk towards us, finally sitting down. Now all that was missing was some coffee, a package of Entenmann's cinnamon rolls, and a relatively normal life.

"So what's our next step?" Tank asked."I agree with Santos. This has to stop."

"Tell me about it," I said.

"Stephanie has promised to stay at Rangeman until we catch Tavish and, as she's already pointed out, he can't reach her here," Ranger said to him."So he'll either try to flush her out or run if Owen dies and he's wanted for murder. I want him caught before either of those happen."

"But how?" I asked."He sneaks out and does something then slithers back under a rock until he gets bored enough and starts this shit all over again. I still don't see why he's after me, you two are the ones that brought him in."

"You wouldn't see it, Babe."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Later," Ranger said to me.

"Are my family and Connie and Lula in any danger?"

"You're not concerned about Vinnie?" Ranger asked me.

"Not really. If Tavish did take Vinnie, he'd turn himself in just to get away from him," I said,"since Vinnie would probably find Tavish attractive. Of course, Vinnie thinks _ducks_ are attractive, so maybe Tavish wouldn't get a rise out of him."

"Thanks for the nightmares, Steph," Tank said."How can you stand being related to him?"

"Since I can't do anything about our shared gene pool, I just try not to think about it," I told him."I _am_ really glad that he and Lucille haven't reproduced, though."

"Yet, Babe."

"That definitely isn't something to joke about, Ranger."

"It's easier than your stalker."

"Not to the child that would come out of it," I said to him."And I'm not taking these threats lightly. I'm not underestimating Tavish, either. If anything, I'm giving him more credit than he deserves. Why would he keep evidence that could put him away? Everyone knows you destroy it. This is Trenton, for crissake! We've had so many mob families living in the Burg and even the children were raised knowing that."

"You're forgetting that Steven Tavish is one hell of an arrogant bastard," Ranger said.

"We come across guys like him everyday, Steph," Tank said."They think they're better than everyone else, and that no one is smart enough to catch them."

"And he already knows it is possible to get out of jail if he_ is _caught," Ranger said."But he was wanted for something less serious at the time."

"It'll be harder for him to walk if he gets charged with murder," Tank said to him."But not unheard of."

"That's assuming he gets at least second degree murder, and doesn't plea out for an involuntary manslaughter charge instead."

"But he picked her up for the sole purpose of hurting her," I said, lifting my head up from Ranger's chest."He may not have wanted to kill her then, but Tavish already knew when he said he'd wait for her that he was going to do _something_. Isn't that considered premeditated?"

"That's the beauty of our judicial system, Babe. You get a good enough lawyer and that doesn't make a damn bit of difference."

I blew out a sigh."I want Tavish out of my life, but let's hope it's not at the expense of a woman who had nothing to do with any of this. I'd have to live with the fact that this woman died because I made some nutjob angry."

"_You_ didn't make him angry," Ranger said, his eyes fixed on mine."_He _chose to focus on you."

"Right. Sorry," I said."_He's_ the one responsible for all of this, not _me_. I have to remember that. Do we know how she's doing?"

"They took her to surgery shortly after she was brought in," Tank said."She was sexually assaulted as well as extensively beaten. Vince called the hospital and spoke with someone Lester knows. He was told that she has major bleeding issues they haven't been able to locate. Since she was unconscious and had poor vitals when she was brought in, they decided surgery would be safer than waiting to run a bunch of tests on her first. So far they know her spleen is shot. Her liver and kidneys are severely bruised, her right arm was broken and her shoulder dislocated, probably from trying to get away from him. One of her ribs was also cracked during the attack and it punctured her lung. She's on a ventilator now and they are doing what they can to patch her up."

"Jesus," I whispered."What are her chances?"

"Right now they are 'cautiously optimistic'," Tank said."Depends what else they find."

"Shit. He really is crazy, isn't he?" I asked them."He seemed a little scary before, but to purposely beat a woman and leave her to identify him if she lives? Either he has major balls, or he's completely lost it."

"He was sending you a message, Babe."

"What? That he's an idiot? I got that one loud and clear."

Tank smiled."He'd have to be an idiot to mess with you."

"It's not _me _he has to worry about," I told Tank,"since I'm not leaving Rangeman. Ranger and you guys are the force that he's going to be reckoning with."

"That's only because I won't let you out of the building," Ranger said."Otherwise he'd have to come up against you. And I've seen what happens whenyou'reangry with someone."

"Not personally," I said to him.

"No, Babe. So far, I've been extremely lucky."

Yeah, like Ranger would _ever _be afraid of me? He could face down drug lords, Colombian rebels,_ and _my mother all before breakfast.

"And I _agreed _to stay here, Ranger," I told him."You're not_ forcing _me."

"He would if he had to, Steph," Tank said."Lucky for us all, you're being reasonable about this."

"_Reasonable_, is my middle name, Tank."

"So what are we going to do?" Tank asked Ranger.

"I already have men on her parents, her apartment, and the bonds office," Ranger said."We have Endicot's house under 24 hour watch in case he shows up again. I don't think he will, but I'm not willing to call off any of the surveillance details. Hal talked to Mark Danadio today and there's been nothing new there. We know he was staying at Endicot's house when he made that call to Stephanie, and he hasn't used that phone since, so that won't shed any light on where he is now. But we do know he's sticking close to Trenton."

"What about Valerie?" I asked."You don't think he'll go after her, do you?"

"It's possible, and that's why I've already decided to put men on her and the girls," Ranger told me."I'll just have to pick the ones who won't terrify them if they do notice that they're being followed."

"I can just imagine _that_ phone call now," I said to him."Valerie is almost as uncomfortable with this part of my life as my mother. What about Grandma? Does she get her own Rangeman?" I asked, more for her benefit in case she questioned me about it.

"Your parents' house is being taken care of," Ranger said,"but I don't think I have enough money in the budget for lawyer fees and compensation to cover a personal bodyguard for Grandma Mazur."

"Very funny."

"All kidding aside, Babe," Ranger said, slipping an arm around my shoulders,"your grandmother is being watched, too. But from a comfortable distance."

"She's going to be disappointed when she finds out," I told him."And Connie and Lula?"

"I have Hector and Raphael on the bonds office, and men on standby for when they leave. My gut tells me that they won't be the targets," Ranger said to me."Connie has 'connections', and anyone who asks about her will hear all about them. And no one wants to tangle with Lula."

My eyes cut to Tank, but he wasn't touching that. He'd done more than_ tangle _with her.

"So _this_ is what you meant when you said that you bleed money every time I'm in danger."

"All worth it, Babe."

"Still ..."

"No _stills_ Stephanie. This is my company and I'll use it as I see fit, and the money and men that come with it."

"Jeez, who peed in your Cheerios," I said, trying to lighten the heavy mood again.

Tank tried not to laugh, but wasn't very successful.

"We should go talk to the men before they decide not to wait for orders."

"Ranger, I don't think they'd do anything without your say-so, but I have a feeling that if the guys knew we were sitting in here laughing, we'd be in trouble."

"Your safety is nothing to laugh about to any of us, Babe," Ranger said.

"I know that. I'm starting to feel bad for joking about any part of this."

"Every man in this building who has served knows that you need to have a sense of humor, however twisted, to stay sane in high stress situations," Tank said to me.

"Tank, I'm hardly in the middle of a war zone with a hundred people shooting at me," I told him."I'm staying in Ranger's apartment, with Ella cooking for me, and you guys keeping me company. You can't call that suffering."

"You're not going to suffer if I can prevent it, Babe," Ranger said."But having someone mentally fuck with you can be just as damaging as them physically harming you. Why do you think psychological torture is so effective at breaking people?"

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

"No. I don't want you to think that you're not entitled to be upset or angry about this just because you're not the woman lying in the hospital right now."

"God, Ranger, you don't pull any punches do you?"

"Never saw the need."

"He's right, Stephanie," Tank said."Being someone's bullseye is never easy, even for men who have signed up knowing that's what they'd become."

"If that's what it's like, no wonder you guys decided to get out and form this company," I said to them."Here you can still do what you love and be the hunter instead of the prey."

"Exactly, Babe."

"It was a coin toss every time we got called on which one we were going to be," Tank said.

I shuddered. I can't imagine having to do what these guys did everyday before settling in at Rangeman. And it just made me even more determined to not let Tavish - as Ranger so eloquently said - mentally fuck with me. If Ranger, Tank, and the guys out there could live through everything they had, I could handle my latest psycho without going completely nuts myself.

Ranger stood and pulled me to my feet."Come on, Babe. I'm sure the men are getting restless by now. This isn't a group that handles inactivity well."

Considering the guy's obvious frustration, I'd say that was an understatement.

"What are you going to say to them?" I asked Ranger."Everyone probably already knows that Jones is the one who dropped off the flowers. And by now they know everything he said to Junior. I'm assuming that the flowers have been dealt with."

"The TPD has been notified about the deliveries, as well as the message on the cards," Tank said to me."And the flowers have been disposed of."

"Disposed of?" I said to him."Does that mean they're already perfuming a nearby Dumpster?"

"No," Tank said with a slight smile that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up."I let the men have a little fun with them."

Those poor flowers probably regretted ever being grown.

"Maybe in the future, I'll receive flowers from someone who isn't insane," I told them.

"They'd better be from me," Ranger said.

"Hey, " I said, putting my hands up in a_ what can I do gesture_,"if someone wants to send me a gift it's not like I'd be able to stop them. You know my track record."

"Then I'll just have to make sure that I outdo whoever makes the mistake of sending one," Ranger said.

"And I have no doubt that you will, since I know _your _track record," I told him."Now about the men ..."

"I'll find them all something to do to keep them out of trouble."

"Kind of like what my mother tries with my Grandma Mazur?"

"Yes," Ranger said to me,"but with different results. The men listen to me when I tell them something."

"I know," I said quietly,"it's like a freakin' epidemic around here."

"I can hear you, Steph," Ranger said.

"I'm not surprised. You can probably hear everything in the entire Milky Way galaxy, too. And I stand behind my epidemic statement. Commandicitis is catchy around here."

"And it spreads quickly," Tank said, following us out of the office.

Lester was standing in the hall not far from where he'd been when we headed into Ranger's office.

"Bobby's got everyone waiting in the conference room for you," he said.

"And you're not in there why?" Ranger asked Lester.

"What can I say? I'm impatient," he said, with the cocky grin that had been missing earlier.

"Also stubborn, opinionated, and fucking loud," Tank said.

"Someone's gotta be," Lester said."If it weren't for me and Stephanie, this place would be boring as hell."

"Hah!" I said to Lester."_Rangeman_ boring? I doubt that's even possible?"

"It's not, usually, but Ranger definitely perked up the place by bringing you into the fold," Lester said to me.

"Are you trying to find a polite way of saying that I keep almost getting you guys killed?" I asked him.

"We live for that shit, Steph."

"So Tank has said."

"And we're damn good at it. That's why we're going to catch this douchebag for you and teach him that he can't go around threatening one of our own."

"I have no doubt that you will, Lester," I told him, giving his tensed up forearm a gently squeeze."I'm happy to have you guys on my side."

"Do we have a plan of action?" Lester asked.

"Let's do this in the conference room," Ranger told him."I need a few men for bodyguard/surveillance shifts."

"Sign me up," Lester told him.

"But you don't even know what it's for," I said to him.

"Doesn't matter." He paused for a beat and then looked a little frightened."It's not to watch your grandmother is it?"

"It is now," Ranger told him."Thank you for stepping forward. I'm sure Edna will enjoy seeing you."

Lester started to look a little gray.

"You don't have to share her personal space, Lester." I told him."Ranger was just being mean."

"He's fuckin' good at it, too." Lester said."I would say that the government trained him well, but I think he was born mean."

The conference room was packed when we got there. It seemed like every man that lived on-site, and wasn't already assigned elsewhere or manning the monitors, was in here. The room went from quiet to _could hear a pin drop _as soon as they caught sight of us. Guess we wouldn't be needing a glass tap or a throat clear to get their attention.

"Jeez, Bobby," I said to him."We weren't even in Ranger's office that long. Is there a Rangeman emergency button you press to get everyone here quickly?"

I hope his blank stare was about not wanting to give away company secrets, and not about me personally. I cut my eyes to Ranger."There isn't one is there?" I asked Ranger."Tell me there isn't a Plum Panic button worked into Rangeman's system."

"Would it make you feel better if I say there isn't one?" He asked me.

"Yes!"

"Then there isn't one, Babe."

Nothing in his expression told me if he was kidding or not. The guys weren't grinning or shaking their heads in the negative, so I had no help there. Maybe it was like Ranger's cars, I'd probably feel better not knowing the actual truth behind it.

"What do you need us to do?" Bobby asked Ranger.

"I want a man, or two if we can spare them, on Stephanie's sister Valerie and her family," Ranger said."I'll need a patrol to keep an eye on Connie and Lula's houses to make sure Tavish doesn't make a grab for them as a way to get Stephanie out of the building. That means her nieces have to be watched both coming and going from school."

"Shit," I said."He can't get into the school, can he? I know they're cracking down on who comes in and out of the building, but ..."

"We'll speak to the principal and whoever else we need to," Ranger said, his hand settling on my hip,"and let them know who to be on the lookout for."

"Without Angie or Mary Alice knowing," I told him."I don't want them to be scared because of this."

"We got it, Steph," Tank said."You just take care of you and let us worry about your family."

"Thanks Tank for that unpleasant childhood flashback._ Don't worry about Valerie, Stephanie,_" I said, mimicking my mother's put-upon tone."_You need to start worrying more about yourself and less about your sister_."

The guys gave me equally nervous smiles before it was right back to business. Tough crowd.

"Who else do you think is in danger?" Vince asked.

"I think Tavish, for whatever reason, just wants me," I told him. Ranger's arm automatically tightened around me and I rested my hand on his before I continued speaking."If my family is being guarded, and the people connected to the bonds office are off limits, and Rex is with me, I can't think of anyone else aside from Mary Lou and Bob. I think Tavish would go after my family before anyone else, so she should be okay. And Bob is with Morelli, who _is_ a cop. I'm pretty sure he'll be fine, too."

"We'll have someone keep an eye on Mary Lou's place to make sure Tavish isn't lurking in her bushes," Ranger said.

I shivered. I didn't want to think about Tavish getting his hands on her."Any chance he'd take Joyce?" I asked. I needed to stop my mind from worrying and Joyce was one of the few people who can wipe out any compassionate feelings I have. But being brought up Catholic, no matter how unpracticing I am now, I immediately felt guilty."No, scratch that. Joyce is a skank, but even she doesn't deserve that. Tavish can take Dickie, though."

"Remind me never to get on your bad side, Steph," Manuel said to me.

"You guys are safe," I said to them."But if you touch my snacks, your lives will definitely be in jeopardy."

"Consider us warned," Ram said.

"So ... we got Santos on Grandma duty," Tank said.

"Who'd you piss off to get her?" Bobby asked Lester.

"Hey!" I said to Bobby."That's my grandmother you're talking about."

Bobby feigned confusion."That's why I asked," he said."No one would willingly sign up for that."

"Ranger ... hit him," I told Ranger, still glaring at Bobby.

"Sorry, Steph," Ranger told me, kissing my temple."I might be with Bobby on this one."

"Men! All for one, and one penis for all," I said to the room at large.

"Babe."

"Sorry," I said."I blame the stress. It's going straight to my head."

"We need someone to handle the girls' school," Tank said."Vince, Ramon, you're on that since you two look the least menacing."

Sure, nowthat I didn't need an answer from them they were all nodding.

"Ranger's got Raphael and Hector on the front and back of the bonds office already, we'll need at least two men to trade of."

"We can bring in some contract workers to take odd shifts," Ranger said to him,"and to take care of the everyday Rangeman business until we get this resolved."

He wasn't just _bleeding_ money for me, I was pretty sure the money was now _gushing_.

"I'm on it," Tank said.

"Binkie's already staking out Stephanie's apartment," Ranger said to the room."Woody, I want you to join him. Hal, you've got Manuel to help watch Valerie and Kloughn. Cal, you and Junior get the Plum house. Her mother is aware of what's going on and she's familiar with _you_ already."

Yeah, having Valerie's amniotic fluid squirt all over you is as familiar as Cal could possibly get with my family. That alone should have made him an honorary Godfather to Lisa.

"We'll need a third man to watch the house when all three are out of it so Tavish can't break in. I can't do a security overhaul on their house," Ranger said, looking down at me with an eyebrow raised."I can't, can I?"

"No," I told him."They don't even have a chain on their door. They think their neighborhood is safe. And even having _me_ for a daughter hasn't convinced them that they need anything more than a deadbolt."

I could see all the men cringe. Everyone knew how easily a deadbolt could be manipulated. Well, I only knew because my lock is frequently picked, not because I could do it myself.

"Okay, we'll go this route then," Ranger said.

"Are you sure all of this is necessary?" I asked Ranger.

"Can Steven Tavish get through the gate out front into this building and past six floors of armed ex-soldiers to get to you?" He asked instead of answering me. But I suppose that _was_ his answer.

I sighed."No."

"It_ is _necessary, Babe. I wouldn't do it if it wasn't."

"It just seems like a lot of effort just for one idiot," I said."An entire gang, yes. But one guy?"

"Steph, look what one man did to Jennifer Owen," Ranger said."Do you want to be next?"

"No," I said again.

"I didn't think so."

I rolled my eyes at him, and all the men suddenly became interested in the wood grain running the length of the large table in front of them.

"Tank will work out a rotation so there will be men available for shift replacements or changes, backup if needed, and to make sure that no one's on longer than eight hours," Ranger said to his men."We don't need a screw up because someone zoned out from lack of sleep."

"Has anyone here _ever _zoned out while on duty?" I asked.

"Only you, Steph," Lester said.

I subtly flipped him off and could see Ranger fight a smile. He was back in control of everything again and that seemed key in calming him and, hopefully, lessening the load he was forced to carry because of me. I didn't want his business to come to a screeching halt just because I was being targeted again, but it is his company and he's the one who ultimately makes the rules.

"If there is anything that seems off," Ranger continued,"a gut feeling that something's wrong, or someone who looks like they don't belong, I want to hear about it as soon as you notice it. I don't care how trivial or explainable it is. All of you who haven't been put on this already can take over the shifts of the men who have until I need you. Dismissed."

It was as if they had rehearsed their exit. All the men were on their feet at the same time and quickly moving out the door. Ranger is more effective than a fire alarm at getting people moving single file out of a room. Tank closed the door behind him and Ranger sat down at the head of the table, elbows on the arms of the chair, his fingers steepled together. I took a seat on the edge of the table in front of him.

"If the guys are watching my family, friends, and all the people who got sucked into this, and Tank is working out a schedule and keeping Rangeman running until this is over, what's left for us to do?" I asked him."I'm stuck inside Rangeman and I have a feeling you're going to have your hands full trying to keep me busy. We can't really do much to help from here."

"The two of us are left with the hardest job of all, Babe," Ranger said, his chin resting on his fingertips, his dark eyes on me.

"And what's that?"

"Waiting."


	10. Chapter 10

**This chapter wasn't supposed to be this long - I feel like I say that**_** a lot **_**here- but after I was finished writing it I found the part with Grandma Mazur that I'd written a while ago and decided to include it in this chapter instead of adding to the length of the final chapter of Gotcha, which should be chapter 11. All familiar characters belong to Janet. Any mistakes are mine. Warnings for language.**

**Chapter 10**

I was surprised at just how little time we had to wait until Steven Tavish made his move.

Ranger and I sat in the conference room for a few minutes after everybody else left. I was lost in my own thoughts about when, and how, this was going to end until I heard the chair Ranger was sitting in creak as he leaned towards me.

"How are you really, Babe?" He asked."You've been putting up good front for everyone."

"I have to," I told him."If I didn't have all of you to think about, I might actually have to admit to myself that I'm a little scared."

"Stephanie," Ranger said, resting his hands on my knees,"I don't want you to hide what you're feeling from me."

"I can't be hiding my feelings if I'm not even sure what they are yet. I do know that I'm pissed, anxious, and worried about you and my family."

"You don't need to worry about me, Babe."

"Sorry," I said to him."The minute you became my friend, let alone my boyfriend, you got yourself put on my worry watch. And _you_ can't say that you're not constantly concerned about me. When I leave in the morning, the last thing you do is kiss me goodbye and check my gun for bullets."

Ranger didn't smile, but his eyes briefly lost some of their intensity.

"Steph, you _are_ known for misplacing the bullets for it."

"But I've gotten better."

"You have ... because I check your gun before you leave in the morning."

And this is why Ranger's the best. He continually has an answer, comeback, and logical explanation for everything said to him.

"I guess we should get to work," I said to him."After all my talk of not letting Tavish control me, I have to prove that he isn't."

"You have nothing to prove to anyone, Babe."

"I do have to keep busy, though," I said to him."Unless you want a groove worn into the carpet in the control room that goes from my desk to the kitchen caused by my pacing and nervous snacking."

"Would you like to share my office with me today?"

"Yes!"

Ranger stood and stepped in between my legs, laying his hands on the table next to my hips. He bent his head and rested his forehead against mine.

"I love you, Babe," he said softly.

"I love you, too, Batman. I'm still surprised at just how much."

I slid my hands into Ranger's hair and angled his head up a little so I could kiss him like I wanted to. Ranger had other ideas about who was in charge, and tipped his head to the side to deepen the contact. I was halfway between Ranger's chest and the surface of the table before we caught ourselves. I wasn't against having sex on the conference room table, but I _was_ against having the control room watching, and taping, it. I used to only have overactive hormones when I went off sugar._ Now _I seem to have them all the time. It didn't matter if I ate carrots or carrot cake, I wanted Ranger. Time, fear, and a Burg upbringing did nothing to change that.

Ranger took a step back from me and held out his hand. I slid my butt off the table and curled my fingers around his.

"We'd better get out of here, Babe," Ranger said, his voice sounding deeper than it had before the kiss."Apparently you have trouble controlling yourself behind closed doors."

"Me?" I asked, my eyebrows shooting up in disbelief.

"Yes."

I knew he was just trying to get my mind off of what might happen next, and I was more than happy to play along. Even though we both knew that he was the one who'd been lowering me onto the table.

"I didn't hear you trying to stop me, Steph," Ranger said, knowing which one of us I was going to blame.

"You had your tongue down my throat," I said."It's not like I could have reminded you of where we were."

Ranger stared at me with his eyebrow raised.

"Okay, so I forgot we were in _Jersey_ for a minute, never mind the conference room, but that's still _your_ fault." Both of our mouths were responsible for what went on in here, so that made about as much sense in my head as it did out loud, but I said it anyway.

"If it makes you feel better to tell yourself that," he said to me.

"It does."

Ranger gave his head an almost imperceptible shake. Why he put up with me, I'll never know, but I am thankful that he does.

"I'm also thankful for you, Babe. Don't think otherwise."

I swear, if Tavish wasn't bugging me, my life would be as close to perfect as it was probably going to get. That wasn't exactly saying much. My life had been pretty crappy until I finally let Ranger into my life, into my bed, and completely into my heart.

Ranger draped an arm around my shoulders and we walked out of the room and past the guys left at Rangeman. A few of them I didn't recognize so I assumed they were contract workers that Tank had called in. Maybe the government should be asking Rangeman for advice on how to run the country, because Ranger and Tank could make things happen faster than anyone I've ever seen.

Ranger left the office door open and I settled myself on the couch with the spare laptop Ranger kept handy. He sat back at his desk and spent the next two hours typing on his computer in between looking over at me. I didn't know if the work he was doing involved me, or if it was Rangeman business, and I wasn't going to ask. I kept busy doing searches on FTAs Rangeman still had left to pick up and I tried to put Steven Tavish on my brain's back burner.

Grandma Mazur's phone call helped with that.

"Hi, Grandma," I said to her, after retrieving my phone from Ranger. He's a little paranoid about who's on the other end of the line these days.

"I just wanted to thank you," she said.

"Thank me?"

"Yes. I was a hit at Annette Salito's viewing."

"They had her viewing in the morning?" I asked her. I know my stomach doesn't deal well with death until the afternoon at the earliest.

"That Salito family's always trying to find ways to stand out."

"You didn't open the lid again did you?" I asked, and saw Ranger smile.

"No. This time I caused excitement by having the hottest date there."

"Who'd you get to go with you?"

I haven't heard of any new seniors moving into the Burg, and anyone old enough for Grandma I doubt would be called _'hot'._

"Lester," she told me.

"Lester who?"

I only knew one Lester. And after the reaction he'd had to being assigned Grandma Mazur, I knew that _my_ Lester couldn't be the one she meant.

"The yummy Rangeman you sent to watch my body so that yahoo you're looking for doesn't do away with me."

Oh God.

"Lester was only supposed to be tailing you," I said.

I looked over at Ranger and _both_ of his eyebrows were raised this time, so I knew Lester had spent the day with my grandmother without being ordered to.

"Not only is Lester handsome as all get out, he sweet-talked everyone we talked to," Grandma Mazur said."And that hussy Geraldine Schema was jealous, I could tell. She's always been envious of me, but today she was just about green with it."

"I'm glad that you had a good time," I told her."So you didn't get into any trouble?"

It would be hard for her not to since trouble followed both Grandma and I around, except she usually caused it while I managed to land face first into it.

"No. I_ am _thinking real hard about faking some, though," she said,"just to get a little mouth to mouth. Or maybe I can fix it so he'll have to do chest compressions to _'revive' _me. I don't got much chest left, but Lester's welcome to check out what's there."

I cringed at the visual.

"You didn't see anyone around you who shouldn't be?" I asked.

"Nope. Just the usual fuddy-duddies. I gotta go," she told me."Lester said he'd take me for ice cream if I swore not to goose him again."

"That's nice, Grandma," I said."Have fun."

"You tell Ranger that he's got a good man here."

"I will." And I disconnected.

"Holy crap," I said to Ranger."I think Lester and my grandmother are dating."

"You'd better hope it's not serious, Babe," Ranger said."It would be awkward to have Santos as a step-grandfather."

"Don't even say it," I warned him."I wouldn't put it past Grandma Mazur to get him drunk and have one of her friends help get him on a plane to Vegas. Lester doesn't drink on the job, does he?"

"No. He wouldn't _have _a job if he did."

"Okay, he should be fine then," I said."It was sweet of him to take her out. Why do you think he did after looking like he was about to kill himself when you told him who he'd be watching?"

"He's keeping someone you love happy, Babe," Ranger told me,"and it makes him feel like he's doing something constructive instead of just sitting in a vehicle all day long."

"I think I'd still choose surveillance over a viewing."

"No you wouldn't," Ranger said."You get cookies at a viewing."

I smiled at him."Yes, but if I'm staking out a place, I go prepared. I bring Tastykakes, doughnuts, and chips for when I know I'm going to be there awhile, since they take longer to eat."

"I'm just relieved that it's Vinnie paying you to eat junk food in your car."

"I almost always capture who I'm looking for," I said to Ranger."And if it isn't my original FTA, it turns out to be someone, or something, a whole lot bigger."

"That _is_ true, Babe. I think you've solved more crimes since you started with Vinnie than the Trenton PD."

"Don't tell them that. They're a little touchy on the subject."

Ranger smiled at me before going back to what he'd been working on, and I typed a new name into the Rangeman program I'd been using. I thought hearing about Grandma Mazur's date was going to be the most exciting thing to happen to me today, I was wrong again.

Ranger and I were coming back from having lunch with Tank and Bobby in the 5th floor kitchen, and had just stepped into his office when my cell started ringing again. Ranger was reaching for it before it even occurred to me that it was my phone. He checked the screen and handed it to me.

"Mary Lou," he told me.

I opened the line."Hey, Mary Lou," I said to her."It seems like forever since we've talked."

"I agree," said a voice that was definitely not Mary Lou's."Did you miss me?"

One look at my face and Ranger was leaning in close to hear what Tavish was saying to me. I knew they had tracers on my phone, maybe today will be the day that we finally catch him.

"No," I told Tavish."I can honestly say I haven't missed you at all."

"That's too bad, because I've gone through a lot of trouble for you. And don't bother trying to track me down," Tavish said."I'll be long gone before anyone gets here. I want you to meet me alone at the dirt road turnoff off Ledger at three o'clock or your girlfriend will be in the hospital with that other slut. I haven't decided yet if she'll need a room, or a drawer in the morgue. I guess it depends on just how irritated you make me." And he disconnected.

Shit. That wasn't far from where Scrog held Julie. Did Tavish find out about that place while he was asking about me? Or did he choose it only because it was so secluded? I suppose in the end it didn't really matter.

"I know what you're going to say, Ranger," I said to him before he could get a word out,"but I'm going."

"Calm down, Babe," Ranger said, taking both of my hands in his and looking directly into my eyes.

I took a breath and tried to concentrate on Ranger's face and not on the fear that was coursing through me.

"How can I calm down?" I asked him."That psycho has my best friend. Mary Lou can go head-to-head with someone like Joyce, but she's never had to face a man like Tavish."

"Mary Lou is a fighter, Steph. Just like you are," Ranger said."She'll hold her own until we get to her."

"How can you be so sure? He's freakin' nuts."

"You wouldn't be such good friends with Mary Lou unless she was also a little like you. And she has a child to protect," Ranger said to me."Everyone knows you don't threaten a woman's offspring."

"That's why I have to go in after her before she gets herself hurt."

"Stephanie ..."

"No, Ranger," I told him."Mary Lou has nothing to do with this. This is _my_ fight."

"No, Babe, it's _our_ fight. The same way you feel about Mary Lou being dragged into this, I feel about _you_. Steven Tavish was a _Rangeman_ case. He would never have had a reason to come after you if I hadn't asked you to come with me to that fucking dinner."

"But I had the opportunity to say no, Ranger, and I didn't. Mary Lou wasn't given a choice."

"That still doesn't make it your responsibility to get her out," Ranger said."I employ highly trained men in every field. They can neutralize Tavish and get Mary Lou without you having to be there. This is what we've spent almost half our lives doing, Babe."

"Would you send in one of your men to do your dirty work? To take someone out who had a grudge against you personally?"

"No."

"Then you can't ask _me_ to," I said to him.

"We have a little over two hours to figure out the most effective way of handling this."

"Ranger, I'm going," I repeated.

"Stephanie, I'm not letting you sacrifice yourself."

"But ..."

"No. We will get Mary Lou away from him, but you're not going to offer yourself up to him and hope he's feeling charitable and decides not to kill you. You're worried about Mary Lou, but I'm worried about _you_."

"I know you are," I told him,"but you can't ask me to save myself at the expense of my best friend."

"I'm not, Stephanie," he said to me."I'm asking you to not rush out of here ..."

I couldn't help it, I snorted at that."Like you would let me."

"You can't run purely on emotion in hostage situations, Steph. You should know that better than anyone."

Fucking Harlo. I get out of one disaster only to land smack dab into another.

"How can I not?" I asked Ranger, getting back to my current nightmare, and I could feel my eyes starting to water.

Mary Lou had been more of a sister to me than Valerie was when we began hanging out together in school. And the thought of her ending up like Jennifer Owen had me sick to my stomach.

"Do you believe in my team's ability to get Mary Lou back?"

"Yes."

"Then let us do this for you, Babe," Ranger said."Every man out there wants in on eliminating Steven Tavish from your life."

"And that's sweet of them," I said,"but he wants_ me_, Ranger. No amount of training, planning, or weapons is going to change that."

"No it won't, but we can work around it," Ranger told me.

"Ranger, I have to meet him. I can't take a chance with Mary Lou." I met Ranger's eyes, and his face was beginning to blur from the tears I was still trying to keep from falling."Please don't make me have to choose between upsetting you and saving her," I whispered. _Stephanie, get yourself under control_, I mentally said. _Rangeman employees don't cry._

Ranger didn't say anything, but he did curve his hand around the back of my neck and brush his thumb gently across my skin. He was mad, but he wasn't letting that overshadow the fact that this could be our last day together. I think that proved just how much our relationship has strengthened both of us. If I'd been with Morelli during this, I would have been out the door three seconds after telling him to go to hell. But I _needed _Ranger, and every ounce of his support, guidance, and belief in me, to see me through the next few hours.

Ranger picked up the phone from his desk and pressed a single button.

"Tank, in here. Now."

Tank appeared before the phone hit the cradle. He looked back and forth between me and Ranger, no doubt sensing a disturbance in the force.

"What's going on?" He asked Ranger.

"Steven Tavish has Stephanie's friend Mary Lou."

"How?"

"I don't know," Ranger said,"but I intend to find out."

"Ranger, there are more important things to worry about than who's to blame here."

"I can multi-task, Babe."

"Not now. You two have to figure out a way of getting me and Mary Lou out of this," I said to them."Strategic planning isn't exactly my strong suit, but I know you guys can do it."

"Stephanie, have you really thought about what could happen to you even for the short amount of time you'd be near him?" Tank asked me.

"Tank, I've thought of little else, but I need to focus only on Mary Lou right now."

"You're not leaving," Ranger said, his voice furious."You promised me."

Good thing I know Ranger loves me, or I might be feeling a little panicky right about now. I took a deep breath and tried to get my weapon toting, angry as hell, unreasonably stubborn boyfriend to see that I didn't have many alternatives.

"And I've kept my promise," I told him."I've listened to everything you've told me to do, and I haven't tried to do this on my own. And I'm not going to now. I need you to stop seeing me as your girlfriend for the time being, and view me as one of the people you trusted to hire for your company. We have to work together, Ranger, to get Mary Lou out of this alive." I'd like to come out of it alive, too, but I wasn't voicing that. Ranger was close to exploding, and I didn't want to get injured by flying debris if he did.

"Steph, I respect what you've done for me and Rangeman," Ranger said,"but I can't send you into this as an employee. I've never looked at you as just an associate, and I'm not going to fucking start now."

"Okay. I knew it was a long shot, but we have to catch Tavish today, and we need me to do it, so you have to stop fixating on me not leaving Rangeman and start telling me how I can do it safely."

"I know you don't want to hear it, Ranger, but Stephanie's right."

"Fuck off, Tank," Ranger said, his eyes hard."Babe, you told me you weren't going to do anything crazy."

"I said I wasn't going to _go_ crazy," I told him."And what I'm going to do isn't crazy, either. We'll have a plan in place. I promise I'll cooperate with you, with no arguments, to get Mary Lou out of danger. I'm not running into this blindly, or half-cocked. Ranger, this is who I am. Just as much as the everyday risks you take make up who_ you _are. You can't ask me not to try to rescue my best friend anymore than I could stop you from going after someone holding Tank hostage." I sighed. I didn't know if Ranger was really listening to me. I looked over at Tank who, at the moment, was keeping quiet."Maybe you should give us a minute to figure this out, Tank."

"Good luck. You're going to need it," Tank said."I've never seen him like this."

I've seen him _'like this' _many times, but usually it's been at the scene of my latest catastrophe or inside my apartment. Tank hadn't seen us clash before, and he suddenly had a front row seat to the fireworks.

Tank started for the door.

"Tank, sit down," Ranger bit out.

Tank sat. Quickly.

"We don't have time to spend arguing. I want you to know that I really don't like this," Ranger began.

I was pretty sure _that_ was glaringly obvious to us all.

"I'm not exactly thrilled with this either, Ranger," I said, softly,"but what other option do we have?"

"We're going to work on finding one of those options first," Ranger said."If there isn't one ..."

"There isn't," I said, sliding my arm around his waist and letting his body support mine, more relieved than I could say that we weren't butting heads anymore."I know this is hard for you, Ranger. If he wanted _you_ to show, I'd be going apeshit right now."

"Apeshit?" Tank asked.

"Yes. It's a more polite way of saying that I'd go fucking berserk if any part of Ranger is ever hurt."

"Same here, Babe. And you don't have nearly as much training as I've had to prevent even a strand of your curly brown hair from being harmed."

"Ranger, I'm not exactly helpless. If I had to pick between myself and Mary Lou to take on a crazy person, I'd choose me."

"And I'd choose _me,_"Ranger said, being difficult again.

"But I'm proving to be more popular than you." Thank God. I couldn't watch Ranger walk into another ambush. I barely survived the first one. And Scrog threatening to shoot me wasn't what I was referring to.

I knew Ranger and I felt the same way about each other in that respect. My life, and the world in general, needed Ranger in it. And Ranger would do anything to keep me alive. The only difference between us is that Ranger would have walked away from me if he thought it would protect me, and I would handcuff myself to him to make sure that he didn't.

"Babe?" Ranger said to me.

"Yeah?"

"Are you with me?"

"Uh-huh. Do we have any ideas on how to make this happen?" I asked."And by_ we_, I mean did the two of you think of anything while I was zoning out."

"There can be no 'zoning out', Steph," Ranger said."This is a matter of life and death. _Yours._ And when it comes to _your_ life, there can be _no_ mistakes."

"I know. That's what I was thinking about."

"If you're done being_ introspective_," Tank said to me,"can we get back to the rescue mission? I don't want any part of this analyzing-our-feelings shit."

"That hurts, Tank," I said."I was just starting to believe that we were bonding. You wouldn't be upset if someone hurt me?"

"I'm only trying to get you two started on a game plan to make sure no one does."

"I knew you liked me," I said to him. I needed to stop myself from imagining what Steven Tavish could be doing to Mary Lou while we were sitting here doing nothing, and Tank was going to be the unlucky one to help me.

"Don't make me regret it," Tank said."And don't fuck this up by trying to play hero."

"Tank, shut up," Ranger said to him, not too kindly, either.

"It's okay, Ranger," I told him."He means well. I have to remember that I don't have to rely just on myself to solve things like this anymore."

"You're not alone, Babe. And we're going to get you and Mary Lou out of this," Ranger said, circling my waist with his arm and pulling me tight along the front of his body.

"If you two are done _snoodling_," Tank said."Can we focus on _saving_ a pregnant woman instead of _cuddling_ one?"

"Two things, Tank. One, I'm _NOT_ pregnant. And two, _bite me_," I said to him."It sounds to me like you're in desperate need of some 'snoodling' yourself." I stepped away from Ranger and held my arms out to Tank."Come on, Tank, I'll give you a hug if it'll put you in a better mood."

It was hard to believe that I was feeling apprehensive around Tank only a couple of hours ago, but I was quickly learning what made Ranger and his men tick.

Tank's eyes flew open and he genuinely looked horrified. I would have been offended if the whole thing wasn't so freakin' funny.

"Steph, I need Tank for this. Don't give him a heart attack before we leave. He's not equipped to handle a woman like you."

"Jeez, I was only trying to be friendly," I said, leaning close to Ranger again.

"Well, stop it," Tank said."I want to live. Now can we get serious?"

"Yes. As much fun as it is to torment you," I told Tank,"I can't quite forget about what's at stake." I tried giving them both a smile, but failed miserably. I was what stood between Mary Lou and Steven Tavish, and I was afraid that_ I _wouldn't be enough to save her.

"Steph, we got you," Tank said, his voice as kind as I've ever heard it.

"I know," I said, blinking my eyes to get the returning moisture under control. My head landed against Ranger's chest when he gathered me back to him, and I didn't feel compelled to lift it. I really should have, too, because it wasn't helping with the waterworks. Good thing Ranger's T-shirt was absorbent."You guys have always been there for me, no matter how ungrateful I'd been at the time."

"You had every right to be ungrateful," Ranger said."You spent your life being told what to do, and I came along and started doing the same thing."

I wiped my eyes and leaned my head back to look up at him."That's not true, Ranger. You did whatever you had to do to keep me breathing. Everyone else was doing it to make _their_ lives easier. There's a huge difference between the two."

Ranger's arm muscles flexed against me in response.

"Now tell me what I need to do to get Mary Lou back to her family."

Ranger went to his desk while I sat next to him on it. Tank took his usual chair, and we put our heads together and came up with a way to accomplish it.

At quarter to three, I was on the road. My Mercedes and my body had thousands of dollars of electronic equipment attached to it. Ranger had acquired a few more toys since the watch and panic button he gave me the last time someone was stalking me. I had trackers hidden in various places on my car, and I had plenty on me as well. Ranger had even found one small enough to slip into the tie in my hair. And for once I wasn't cursing my father's side of the family for the uncontrollable curls. Even my sneakers were wired into Rangeman. They weren't the most attractive footwear, but if they kept me and Mary Lou alive, I'd take a fashion hit. As long as Tavish didn't make me change shoes or shave my head, Ranger will at least know where I am. Ranger had also fitted me with a wire. He'd be able to hear what was going on and also know Tavish's location so he could move in as soon as the moment presented itself.

Ranger had rearranged the men's shifts and sent Lester, Hal, and Bobby ahead to the place I was supposed to meet Tavish less than twenty minutes after we got word that he took Mary Lou. Since Ranger didn't want to leave me any sooner than he had to, he went against standard protocol and sent in his most trusted men to check things out instead of going himself. Tank stayed with Ranger. Probably to make sure Ranger didn't rush in and kill Tavish until we knew where Mary Lou had been stashed.

Feelings never played a part in Ranger's professional life until I forced my way into it. Now I had put him in the position of having to keep me safe, catching his skip all over again, and saving the life of my best friend in a very short amount of time. After his initial anger at having me along, Ranger morphed into the experienced soldier he was and started giving orders on how we could do this quickly and effectively. He was doing his best to compartmentalize his emotions and, aside from my swollen lips after he had kissed me goodbye in the garage and my close to bruised ribs caused by his powerful arms which had to be physically removed from me by Tank, Ranger stayed in war-mode. Tank would have had a far easier time separating us if my arms hadn't been wrapped just as tightly around Ranger. Neither one of us wanted to let go.

The sun was shining as I left the underground garage and drove to my assigned meeting place. Ranger and Tank started off behind me, but I quickly lost sight of them as they moved on to their own chosen spot to watch over me. I passed by parents picking their children up at bus stops, people doing yard work, and a UPS truck making deliveries. All ordinary things that people see everyday, but they didn't seem ordinary to me because I wasn't 100% sure I'd ever see them again. I also noticed that the sun was shining and there was an occasional cloud in the sky. It was a perfect day to be driving out to Point Pleasant, or the mall, but instead I was heading into the hands of a sociopath. I was honest with Ranger, I would do _anything_ to protect the people I love, but I couldn't stop the little trickle of terror entering every thought I had as my car took me closer and closer to Steven Tavish.

All to soon, I pulled alongside the dirt road and parked. I took a couple of deep breaths and made myself get out of the car. As I did, I pictured the smile on Mary Lou's face the last time we went out for lunch, laughing at a rumor she heard about someone we both hated in high school. I remembered the look on Lenny's face right before he kissed her in relief when I brought her back home. And images of her boys flashed one by one in my mind even as I wondered if her newest addition would be the little girl they'd always wanted. Mary Lou was going to have a healthy baby, and her children weren't growing up without her. I was going to make sure of it. And in that second I reached my own version of a war-mode. I was getting Mary Lou out of here today.

I walked a couple of feet away from my car, looking around, trying to spot Tavish. I wasn't hearing any of the usual sounds associated with a heavily forested area or Trenton during midday traffic. No birds chirping or honking car horns. Instead, there was an eerie silence that alerted me to Tavish's presence. He was close. I knew that as surely as I knew Ranger was here, too. Where exactly he was, and when he'd show himself, I didn't know. And I was speaking about both Tavish and Ranger at this point, but I was fairly certain Tavish would be appearing first. Ranger never showed his hand until he was ready to.

"Thank you for joining me," Steven Tavish said, coming out of the woods on my right, oozing fake charm and polite manners. Like that was going to take away from the fact that he had a gun pulled on me. He was acting like he was picking me up for a freakin' garden party, not kidnapping me. I was pretty sure it was still considered _kidnapping_ even though I'd driven myself here. Tavish did use the life of someone I care about to get me to do it, and I was counting on the Trenton PD to see it my way even if we didn't call them before I left. I don't know if they were contacted after the fact, or if Ranger was handling this Rangeman-style, with no police activity until all the excitement was over. I sent a silent plea that the excitement would be kept to an absolute minimum.

"Cut the crap," I told him."You know damn well I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Mary Lou."

"Why do you think I grabbed her?"

"You know, it doesn't take a big pair of balls to threaten a pregnant woman."

There was a noticeable change in his demeanor. No guy likes having his man parts brought into question.

"You may want to remember that your life, as well as two others, are in my hands before you start running your mouth," Tavish said, pointing the business end of his Sig at me.

"_You_ broke the law," I told him."_You_ didn't show up for court when you were supposed to, and _you_ committed at least two more crimes that will get you locked up again instead of just skipping town. I fail to see why me helping to bring you in one time would make you want to kill me."

"I don't_ have _to kill you," he said to me, a sick smile on his face."There are plenty of things I can do to you to make you wish you were dead."

Oh good, more hell to look forward to. I really wish I knew how I managed to get my ass into things like this. As soon as I had that thought, I shook my head like a mental Etch A Sketch to erase it. Mary Lou is the one I should be thinking about, not whining about my ability to catch the attention of every whackjob in Trenton. Sometimes the ones in Hamilton Township and Bordentown, too.

"Give me your hand," Tavish said to me, tucking his gun into the front of his pants and pulling out two pairs of cuffs.

I wanted more than anything for his gun to go off right at that exact moment.

"Why?"

"I don't trust you, and I have some garbage to dump before we take off."

I didn't want to, but I held out my arm. He hadn't said anything about Mary Lou so I didn't see a choice.

He secured my arms behind my back with one set of cuffs and used the other pair to attach me to the mirror on the driver's side of my car. He wasn't taking any chances on me getting loose.

"Are you afraid of me?" I asked him. And the thought that he was gave me a much needed confidence boost.

"No," he said, probably not as convincingly as he would have liked."I just don't want you to get in the way."

Yeah, right. The other times he had taken women, he had tricked them. I was fully aware of what I was walking into, and Tavish knew I'd be waiting to get even.

"In the way of what?"

"This is why women are only good for one thing. None of you are smart enough to figure out when you should shut your fucking pie holes!"

I remembered what Vinnie said about Tavish hating woman. Maybe Mr. Tavish should see that the common denominator in all his relationships with women was_ him_. If he wasn't such an asshole, women would probably treat him better.

As soon as he was sure that I wouldn't be able to move more than a few inches, he walked to a car that I now saw was tucked into the trees not very far from mine. It was a good thing that I had driven in alone, Tavish had most likely been watching me the entire time.

He opened the trunk and pulled a body out of it. My blood froze. Mary Lou. I strained against the cuffs and tried to get a better look from where I was standing. I couldn't tell from this angle what exactly he'd done to her, but as he got closer to the car I saw that although Mary Lou was dandling, limp in his arms, she looked relatively okay. She had a bruise on her cheek and her bottom lip was split, but she wasn't bleeding anywhere except her lip. There were no obvious broken bones, and her clothes looked like they hadn't been removed so, all in all, I felt a tiny bit better.

He dumped Mary Lou into the trunk of _my_ car and slammed the door closed. I thought Ranger or one of the guys would have charged in by now, but I didn't see anyone with a gun besides me and Tavish. The one Ranger had given me was small enough to be concealed inside an ankle holster, and wasn't going to do me any good until I could get my hands on it. Now that I know where Mary Lou is, I wouldn't have to question myself about using it. But the fact that Ranger hadn't come out of his hiding place had me feeling very uneasy.

Tavish came back to me and separated me from my car, tucking the second set of cuffs back into his pocket.

When he reassured himself that I hadn't magically unlocked the ones on my wrists while he was away from me, he pulled his gun back out and jammed it between my shoulder blades.

"Move," he said, and pushed the barrel of the gun further into my back.

"Where are we going?" I asked him. And I wondered if I ever told Mary Lou about the safety release Ranger had installed so that if anything like the Slayer thing happened again, I'd be able to unlock the trunk from the inside.

"We're going somewhere a little more private," Tavish said.

"More private than this?"

"You have no idea. Now move your fucking ass."

"What about Mary Lou?"

"What about her?" He said.

"She's pregnant!" I yelled at him."You can't leave a pregnant woman locked inside the trunk of a car!"

"Looks like I can. And if I were you, I'd be more worried about myself. Now get your ass in the car before I decide to help you."

"Why are we changing cars? Mine is nicer than the crap car you're driving now that everyone is on the lookout for the BMW you commandeered."

"You need to learn to keep your mouth shut."

"You're not the first person to tell me that," I said to him, trying to gauge his mood. So far he was being cranky, but not exactly coming across all that threatening.

"But I could be the last if you don't stop being such a stupid bitch."

"Who are you calling_ stupid_? You're the idiot who could have left town and be roasting on a beach in Mexico right now."

"I had some unfinished business to take care of before I disappear, and your fucking boyfriend has every place watched. It took some time to set up, but once I did, it was easy to get you out of Manoso's seven-floor stockade. One phone call, and I've got you standing in front of me a few hours later."

"You lured a terrified woman to her doctor's office and snatched her because you're not smart enough to get your actual target?"

After the call came in that Mary Lou was taken, Ranger talked to Ram and found out that Mary Lou had left her house and driven to her obstetrician's office. She was last seen going into the building. When she failed to come out after twenty minutes, Ram double-checked the name of her doctor, since it was a medical building with multiple practices, and then they stormed the complex. But Mary Lou was already gone. After talking to the secretary, we also knew that no one placed a call to Mary Lou from their office.

"I had hopes that you were different," he said to me,"but you're proving to be as big a cunt as all the other women I've known."

I decided to be the bigger man and ignore the hated c-word. Choose your battles, I told myself. When what I really wanted to do was serve his penis to him in a doggy bag. Neither he, nor his penis, deserved it on a silver platter.

"You can still leave," I told him. I've heard this many times in movies and TV shows, and it never worked. But knowing my luck, the one time I didn't try using it would be the exception."You lucked out. The police don't even know where we are."

"But your fucking boyfriend does," Tavish said."And I want to be gone before he interrupts us again."

"How do you know he's not going to walk up to us right now?" It was actually a possibility. Ranger would hate standing around waiting while Tavish was busy pitching a fit.

"He would wait until he was sure he could get you and your mouthy friend at the same time."

I couldn't help but smile. Mary Lou would have given him a piece of her mind before he managed to shove her into a car.

"Can I call him to come get Mary Lou after we leave?" I asked him, my nerves overriding my pride."It can't be good for the baby to be stuck in there."

"No calls will be needed," Tavish said, and flipped a switch on a crude looking remote I hadn't seen him pull out."_Now _are you going to start paying attention to me?"

My beautiful Mercedes was smoking not long after. I knew Ranger could hear us, and that the guys were close, but could they get to her in time? I didn't think about what I was doing, I just reacted and tried to run to her. I wouldn't have been able to do much with my hands behind my back, but I at least wanted to try. Tavish grabbed the chain between my bound wrists and jerked me to a painful stop.

"You son of a bitch!" I screamed."Let me go! Someone has to help her!"

"If your boyfriend - Ranger - is as good as people say he is, then he should be able to get her out of there before she starts sizzling," Tavish said."In the meantime, I'll have you all to myself."

I tried again to break free and I got in a solid kick to the side of his knee that made him loosen his grip on my arm. Unfortunately, that little bit of space between us gave his punch a little more well ... punch. I felt my teeth cut into the inside of my cheek. It wasn't the worst I'd received, but it wasn't what I'd call _pleasant _either. His gun was in his left hand, and the smug bastard didn't even raise it, thinking I was fully under his control now.

"If you've learned anything at all about me, you'd know that I really hate when people hit me," I said to him, attempting to spit the blood out of my mouth."And while we're on the subject, I hate guns, too, so you can put the stupid thing away now."

Don't show any fear, I told myself. Mary Lou is counting on you, and Ranger is waiting for you at the end of this.

I was so busy giving myself a pep talk that I didn't have time to prepare for the backhand he gave me next. I saw stars and then felt hands lift me up. He slung me over his shoulder and dumped me into the seat of his POS car seconds later. And all I could do, as Steven Tavish pulled around my smoldering car and headed down Ledger, was hope that the guys had Mary Lou out of the trunk by now. Dwelling on losing both my best friend, and possibly my life, wouldn't help me survive the day.

Tavish drove for ten minutes before pulling into what I thought was a vacant lot. But as my mental cobwebs cleared a little more, I saw a dilapidated shed set near the edge of the treeline. If you didn't know to look for it, you probably wouldn't even notice it was there. The roof looked like it was about to cave in, and there was something green growing up the side of it, providing good camouflage for the building. It looked only large enough to house two riding lawn mowers. What made the moment even more frightening to me was that I was positive I saw the same creepy shed in a horror movie Lula had recently made me watch with her. And I didn't want what happened to the woman in that shed to become a reality to me in this one. I started praying to God that Ranger wouldn't have to listen to whatever it was Tavish had in store for me.


	11. Chapter 11

**I want to thank everyone for your reviews, alerts, and favorite story adds, and for reading Gotcha in the first place. I don't consider myself a drama writer, so with Gotcha I tried to write a solid Ranger/Stephanie story to offset that, and I really appreciate you reading along while I fumbled my way through finally completing it. All familiar characters belong to Janet. The mistakes are mine. Warnings for language.**

**Chapter 11**

Tavish parked and dragged me out of his car by my ponytail. I hoped that the tracer wouldn't somehow be damaged because of it. I still had on the watch, shoes, and wire so as long as he didn't come after my clothes, I should be okay.

Once again, his gun was bruising another part of my anatomy. This time, he had it pressed into the back of my neck. Not as dramatic as having it pointed at my temple, but the thought of a severed spinal cord had me reluctant to make any sudden moves.

"Now we'll finally have a chance to get acquainted. I know you've been looking forward to this as much as I have," Tavish said."Do you know how many women would love to be in your position right now?"

"None?" I said to him.

Do I know how to attract them or what? He's obviously delusional on top of being fucking insane.

"You won't feel like talking back an hour from now," he told me, jerking my face close to his as he did."I guarantee it." He let go and tapped the metal of his gun against my head as a clear sign for me to move again."I don't know how much time we'll have together, and I don't want to waste it."

We were about halfway to the door of the shed when there was a loud crack coming from the woods. It sounded like a person or large animal had stepped on a branch and snapped it. I knew Ranger and his men never made noise, so it was either a calculated move on their part or it really was just an animal. Either way, it got Tavish's attention. He jerked his head towards the sound, and his eyes went squinty as he tried to make out any movement between the trees. I decided that in case the noise was caused by Ranger, staying out in the open would make it that much easier for him, or one of his men, to get me. So I started talking, counting on Tavish's need to brag about how smart he is to override his common sense.

"Why me?" I asked him.

I figured that even if Ranger wasn't the one in the woods, I would at least find out why I was targeting by Tavish in the first place. And this is probably going to be my only chance to ask him, since he already mentioned that he would be leaving and he hasn't said that he wouldn't be killing me before he did.

"Let's just say that you remind me of someone and leave it at that," he said to me.

"That's it?" I said."You started stalking me because I remind you of _your mother_? That's the dumbest reason I've ever heard!"

"Would you shut the fuck up already?! You don't know anything about my relationship with that whore!"

Why do men always have to do that? Why can't they just be angry with you, or with something you've said, without bringing up your weight, number of sexual partners, or sexual orientation? It's like they can't admit that they've been one-upped by a woman so they rely on personal attacks to make themselves feel superior.

"I_ know _she disowned you," I told him.

"That bitch turned my own father against me!"

See, that's exactly what I mean. He steals from his own family's company and that makes his mother a bitch. I don't hear him calling his father names for taking his wife's side against his own son.

"Seems to me like you helping yourself to their hard-earned money is what turned your father against you."

I told myself not to anger the whackjob, but I couldn't seem to keep my mouth closed. This idiot has been terrorizing me, my family and friends, and stressing out Ranger, now I wanted a little payback. However small it turned out to be in the grand scheme of things.

"I took what was owed to me," Tavish said to me. He was getting more agitated, and I didn't know if that was going to help me or hurt me."I made that business what it is."

Talk about a sense of entitlement. There wouldn't be a company at all if his parents hadn't started one.

"So you have issues with your mother and I have to pay for it?" I asked him."I've never even met the woman. I barely know _you. _I spent less than five minutes talking to you, and you've been harassing me ever since."

"If you wouldn't have been such a fucking bitch to me, I might have left you alone," he said."But I've learned the hard way just how women screw with you if you don't put them in their place when they get out of line."

My temper reached the danger zone and I wanted to take a swing at him for women everywhere, but my hands were trapped behind my freakin' back. I made an effort at lowering my blood pressure before I spoke again.

"If I remember correctly," I said with my back teeth still clenched together, which wasn't making my mouth hurt any less,"all I did was tell you that I wasn't leaving with you. It takes a real fucked-up mind to make the leap from me not wanting to be alone with a grabby stranger to you feeling abandoned."

"My mind functions better than yours ever could."

"Yeah, right. Nothing you've said or done so far makes sense," I told him."Not that I'd want someone to get hurt, but why haven't you gone after your mother, since this is all really about her?"

"What makes you think I haven't?" He asked me.

"Because, as far as I know, she's still alive. If you did try something, you couldn't have been very successful at it."

"She started getting paranoid," Tavish told me,"and convinced my father that I was out to get her. He believed her and ended up hiring extra security. That's twice she made him choose her over me."

Paranoid? Didn't he just kind of admit that he wanted to go after her? Mrs. Tavish had a very good reason for feeling uneasy around him. He really is crazy. And not in the fun Grandma Mazur way. But in a_ need a straightjacket, lots of medication, and constant supervision _way. Too bad his father hadn't hired Rangeman. If he had, Tavish wouldn't have been an issue for anyone _ever _again. And he would have completely disappeared the second my name was brought up.

"So me not doing what you wanted, and having someone else back me up, stirred up memories of your parents and had you throwing a tantrum? Couldn't you have at least made something up so you wouldn't sound so fucking pathetic? And for _me_ to call_ you _pathetic because of _'mommy issues' _is actually worse than _pathetic_."

I was telling myself to shut up until I got my hands free, but my brain and my mouth weren't communicating that well with each other. He savagely beat a woman, kidnapped another one, and took a bunch of risks that could have gotten him arrested again all because he couldn't get to his mother? But I guess that was sort of his M.O. He did grab Owen and Mary Lou because he wasn't having any luck getting his hands on me. Still, I was convinced that his motive would turn out to be a little less juvenile. I mean, he wasn't even smart enough to check me for weapons before bringing me here. But I wasn't about to let my guard down. Even a total moron can get off a lucky shot.

"I don't need to make anything up," he said to me."And none of that is important anyway. I finally got my way. And I have what I want now."

"Which is me?" I asked him.

"For the time being. As soon as I saw you walk into Cambell's party, I knew I had to have you."

"Sorry," I told him."I'm not anymore available than I was that night. You've met my boyfriend, and I would really advise against meeting him again. He's not real happy with you at the moment."

"That's why I changed cars," Tavish said to me."I knew he'd have a GPS on yours."

I couldn't stop the eyeroll. If he thought Ranger would have the car monitored, wouldn't it occur to him that Ranger would be tracking me, too? Maybe I'm the idiot for being afraid of him.

"Enough talking," he said."I wanted you here for something, and it wasn't to have a fucking conversation."

That didn't sound good.

"If you think Ranger won't be able to follow us, why not just leave me here and take off?"

"No fucking way. After everything I've been through, I'm getting a piece of you before I go."

"That's not going to happen," I told him."Trust me, the border guards will be easier on you."

"That sounds like a challenge," Tavish said, giving me a smile that had me remembering Ramirez."Too bad it won't be much of one. I would tell you that I'll make it good for you, but I really don't give a fuck if it is." And he grabbed me.

He caught my hands in one of his, twisting a handful of my hair with the other, and tried to cover my mouth with his. I haven't kissed any man but Ranger since I broke up with Joe and started seeing Ranger. And there is no way I'm letting this asshole get 'a piece' of anything of mine.

Ranger had me mind, body, and soul and Steven Tavish wasn't leaving his mark on any of them. To show Tavish that, as soon as he got close enough, I head-butted him. My brain felt like it had whiplash, but knowing Tavish was hurting more than me helped me stay focused on my goal, which was to get my gun free. I was almost positive that if I could get it out of the holster, I'd have a fifty-fifty chance of hitting him even from a weird angle with my hands behind me.

Tavish clutched his head and glared at me."You're going to pay for that," he told me.

"You can try," I said to him.

"I'm going to really enjoy the look on your face when you finally realize that you have no say in what's going to go on in there," he said, giving me a small shove closer to the shed."No one is going to come for you. Your lowlife boyfriend can't save you. When, and _if_,you leave here is up to me. You should think about that before you attack me again. You'll only make me enjoy this more."

I wasn't looking forward to doing anything to make Tavish happier, but there's no way in hell he's touching me without a fight. And he'll be in for a long afternoon if he tries.

After Ranger had taped the wire to me, I had taken some time to layer my clothes while he was talking to Tank. I wasn't sure what Tavish had in store for me but, like I told Tank, I had thought of every scenario. And to protect me, and the wire I was hiding, I was currently wearing a bra, tank top, and two thin shirts that were designed to wear over each other, along with my Rangeman windbreaker. If Tavish wanted me out of my clothes, he'd need some large scissors and a lot of time. I'd even worn pantyhose under my jeans. Everyone knows how much I despise pantyhose, but I hated Tavish more. And they're a far cry from the cute thigh-high ones. These covered everything from the tips of my toes to the waistband of my underwear. I even added a belt through the loops on my jeans. I was hoping to slow Tavish down so I'd have time to get my gun in my hand or my knee in his groin. I've been with no one except Ranger since that night in my apartment, and I wasn't about to be now. Tavish would literally have to kill me first.

"If you wanted someone submissive, you picked the wrong woman to bring here."

I was stubborn, impatient, and impulsive. But submissive? _Never_.

He smiled. A chilling flash of teeth that had me taking a step away from the shed_ and _him.

"You just proved how stupid you really are," Tavish said."You're going in the wrong direction." And he flung me towards the shed door.

I bounced off the wood and landed on my left side on top of the hard-packed ground. Where was all the soft, fluffy grass when you needed it? I bit back a groan. The good news is that I now had a chance to reach for my ankle. But before I got my knee bent enough to touch the leg of my jeans, Tavish was looming over me.

"As attractive as you look spread out in the dirt, I'm not that uncivilized."

Like that shed was any cleaner?

"Really? Since you _are _a pig," I said to him, not willing to bite my tongue,"I would think you'd feel right at home rolling around in the dirt."

"When are you going to learn,_ little girl_," he said, pulling me up by the chain linking my hands, wrenching my already sore shoulders,"that I can get out of any trouble I find myself in," Tavish said."My mother may have cut me off from my family, but I've made some very influential friends on my own. Now I have my pick of hideaways if I do go on the run. And if by some chance the police find me, I'll be out before you can blink and I'll be back looking for you."

"I don't think so," Ranger said, coming out of nowhere. I knew he would be soon, but even I was startled by his sudden appearance.

Tavish turned and Ranger fired. Steven Tavish fell with a look of surprise on his face and a hole in the middle of his forehead. It was a good thing I jumped out of the way as soon as Ranger showed up or I would have been scrubbing something more disgusting than rotten food off of me.

"What the hell, Ranger?" I said at a slightly higher volume than I needed, because Ranger was already standing behind me uncuffing my hands. I winced when I slowly moved my arms forward.

Ranger was running his hands over my body, checking me for injuries as he answered me.

"I missed," he said, not touching my arms. He already knew they hurt from watching me closely as I gingerly moved them."I was aiming for his shoulder and I accidentally got his head."

"You_ never _miss," I told him, after he had removed the wire from my chest.

He carefully put his arms around me and I blocked out any discomfort that might have caused. I _needed _to be wrapped in Ranger's arms despite all my achy parts.

"No. I don't," Ranger said, his voice hard."He should have spent a little more time inquiring about me instead of playing with you."

I shivered. Ranger was usually formidable, but this is the Ranger that had earned every bit of his legendary reputation.

"Mary Lou?" I asked him. I couldn't voice my actual question. Luckily with Ranger, I didn't have to.

"We got her out," Ranger said."She was awake and fumbling for the latch when Bobby opened the trunk. We would have moved in sooner, but through the scope we had on him ..."

"Scope?"

"Sniper scope," Ranger told me.

"As in you had a sniper rifle with you?"

"Yes."

"We didn't talk about that when we were making plans."

"It wasn't up for debate, so it didn't need to be mentioned," he said."I already decided that Tavish wasn't leaving here alive. And I would have ended this when he left Mary Lou in the trunk, but I saw the remote and I didn't know what it was rigged up to. Bobby and Lester were already in position grab her, but I couldn't give them the go ahead until I was sure you wouldn't be caught in the fallout. I never want to have to make a decision like that again."

"And I know you're probably beating yourself up over having to make it," I said,"but it was the right decision. I didn't know what he planned, either. I didn't even see the remote until he used it."

I drew in a breath when Ranger cupped my face in his hand, and he immediately tensed.

"What did he do?" Ranger demanded, brushing his fingertips lightly across my face."My eyes were only off you when I headed to my car as soon as I saw that he was taking you somewhere. I wasn't thinking too clearly at that point. All I knew was that I didn't want to leave you alone with him for any length of time. But he hurt you anyway."

"Tavish probably would have waited until we got here to do anything to me, but I went a little nuts when he tried to stop me from rushing to Mary Lou when I saw my car start smoking."

"He hit you." He didn't phrase it as a question.

"I'm okay, Ranger. It's a small price to pay for this to finally be over."

"If it wouldn't create too many questions," Ranger said,"I'd shoot him again."

"Is this going to cause trouble for you?"

"Why would it?"

"Umm ... because he didn't have a gun pointed at either of us at the time and you shot him in the head?" I still wasn't looking over my shoulder at the body of the man who'd been the most recent in a long line of nutjobs who wanted to make my life as miserable as possible.

"I don't know why you would say that, Babe," Ranger said, a smile pulling at his lips."Everyone saw him raise his gun."

"Okay," I said, blowing out a breath."My brain may still be a little screwy, but I know that his hands were otherwise occupied, and there was no one else here to see him do _anything_ with a gun."

Ranger put both of his hands on my hips and looked me in the eye. Serious.

"Stephanie, you heard what he said. He wasn't going to leave you alone even if he was locked up," Ranger said, his eyes boring into mine."I did what I had to do to make sure that he didn't come after you again. I wasn't bullshitting you when I said that I would do _anything_ for you, Babe. Tavish was armed. And he intended to fire his weapon. That's all the police need to know."

"And I would do _anything _for you," I said to him."And that's why I almost passed out when I saw Tavish's finger on the trigger of the gun pointed at you."

Ranger smiled right before he lowered his head to kiss me.

"Better be careful," I told him, when his lips were just about to touch mine."The last guy who tried to kiss me got head-butted."

"Glad to hear it," Ranger said to me."It's a good habit to keep up."

"I'm surprised you'd say that, because you're always trying to kiss me."

"I like to live on the edge, Babe," he told me."But I'm not worried about what you would do to me. However, I_ do _like knowing what will happen to anyone else who tries."

And then he gave me the softest, gentlest, sweetest kiss. Out of fear of hurting me, Ranger probably would've held off on kissing me until he was sure that it wouldn't cause pain, but it was almost like he couldn't stop himself. The kiss was filled with every emotion that we've felt since the beginning of this nightmare. Fear, patience, and most of all ... love. My adrenaline was still pumping and I didn't feel any pain, only Ranger's solid body keeping me grounded as my body slowly started to register the fact that I was no longer in danger. And I was filled with the slightly euphoric feeling that came from facing down death ... and winning.

Tank showed up a few minutes later, with Lester, Ram, and Slick right behind him. I was passed from man to man for a quick glad-you're-still-alive hug. When I was placed in front of Tank, I held out my right arm to him.

"I knew you'd take me up on my offer of a hug," I said to him.

"Shut up," he told me, in a less hostile tone than Ranger used on him earlier. But he did give me a two second squeeze which involved an uncomfortable back pat that had me wincing.

"That's enough, Babe," Ranger said, his arm gently circling my waist."I'm taking you to St. Francis to get checked out."

"I'm fine," I told him.

I would've been hurting worse if Ranger hadn't arrived when he did. I felt confident that I could have 'neutralized' Steven Tavish on my own. Eventually. Maybe. But I don't know how many more hits I would have been subjected to before I did. I was really feeling bad for what poor B.O.B goes through on a daily basis in the Rangeman gym. I wasn't designed to be _anyone's_ punching bag.

"Shit, Steph," Lester said."We didn't know you were hurt. We wouldn't have manhandled you if we would've known."

"Lester, don't apologize for being happy that we all made it through this," I looked in the direction of Tavish's body."Well, most of us did."

"You'd better not be feeling bad about that fucker being dead," Tank said to me.

"Nope," I told him."I have no bad feelings right now about anything. Now tell me about Mary Lou."

"Aside from being pissed off that she was used to trap you, she's all right. Bobby took her to the ER. We just wanted to make sure that the baby is okay. The baby is how Tavish got Mary Lou moving so fast," Tank said. He had obviously spoken to Bobby before meeting up with us here."They lured her to the doctor's office by telling her that there was something wrong with one of her test results, and then he slipped her out through a service elevator and into a car waiting by a door in the back."

"They?"

"Tavish paid a hooker he picked up to make the call," Ranger said, clearly up to date on everything even though he'd been hiding in the woods waiting for the right moment to rescue me.

Spy gadgets are essential to them in their line of work. At least, that's what they keep telling me.

"We traced the call from Mary Lou's phone," Ranger said to me,"and located the phone, and the woman, in a motel off Stark. She told Tavish that she had always wanted to be an actress, so he gave her a role to play."

"Bastard," I said."I'm sure I can come up with a plausible reason why it took two shots to kill him."

"I knew you were gonna fit in with our group when Ranger introduced us," Lester said, grinning at me.

"I should be flattered by that, right?"

"As your grandmother would say, _damn skippy_."

"I appreciate you spending time with Grandma Mazur, Lester, but you're bad enough on your own without Grandma's influence."

He grinned at me."Since I know your grandmother so well now, I feel safe in saying she'd want you to get your behind to the emergency room and get looked over."

"Don't do that," I told him."Next thing you know, Hal will be having coffee with my mother and telling me to eat better and get more rest."

"Eight hours is the recommended amount of time," Tank said.

I gave Tank my best Burg glare, which he totally ignored.

"As much as it pains me to say it, Babe, Santos is right," Ranger said to me."And I want you out of here before the police are called."

"Why?" I asked."We didn't do anything wrong. Tavish is the criminal here."

"I want your shoulder looked at _now_," Ranger told me."You're not going to be forced to wait around here while the PD is busy flexing their muscles, or have to put up with Morelli if he shows up and starts acting like a dick. This is the shit I pay Tank to deal with. We can talk to the police later."

"I'm not worried about Joe."

"I'm not either, Steph. I only care about _you_. I didn't fight you_ too _hard on meeting Tavish ..."

I rolled my eyes at him."Sure, you didn't. I was afraid you were going kidnap me to keep me from being kidnapped."

"I was tempted," Ranger said."But I resisted the urge. Barely. So the least you can do is go to the ER for me."

"_Oooh_, you're good," I told him."Maybe _you're_ the one having coffee with my mother. You're using her specialty of emotional blackmail to get your way."

"If it helps you, then I'm not apologizing for it."

"Big surprise there," Tank said.

Ranger glanced sharply at Tank, and I felt like I should defuse the situation. After everything has been handled, I didn't want the two of them wailing on each other to blow off steam. Being around men with testosterone to spare had many advantages, but they did have to be handled differently than your average, run-of-the-mill men.

"I'll go," I told Ranger,"but I'm going to tell you right now that I won't like it."

And Ranger showed just how well he knows me.

"Are you going because I asked you to? Or because you want to see Mary Lou?"

"I _do_ want to check on her, and see for myself that her and the baby are fine," I said to him,"but I would go, grudgingly, if it made you feel better. I already know what the doctor is going to say. That I have bruises, I bit my cheek, and my shoulders will be sore for a while."

"Call me crazy, Stephanie," Ranger said,"but I'd prefer if the diagnosis came from a medical professional."

"I've had enough encounters with paramedics, and plenty of ER visits, to know when something's really wrong with me."

"Babe."

"Okay, fine. Let's go then. And after I see that Mary Lou's all right, I'm going back to your apartment with a tub of ice cream."

"What's with you Plum women and ice cream?" Lester asked.

"It's a girl thing in general," I informed him,"not just a_ Plum _thing."

Lester shook his at me like he couldn't comprehend what I was saying. I know the feeling. Why the men like eating the stuff they do, and the torturous activities they find 'fun', have always been a mystery to me.

Ranger kept his arm around me as we walked over to the Cayenne. One of the men had thoughtfully driven it up from wherever Ranger had hidden it while he was sneaking around doing his covert ops/silent ninja thing. It was unlocked already and I landed in a grateful heap on the leather seat. It had been a hell of a long day. I looked at the clock. Not quite four-thirty. Guess it only _felt_ like a long day.

Ranger got in beside me and started the engine.

"Still no chance of going to Rangeman instead of St. Francis?"

"No. And I _will_ fight you this time."

"Good thing I'm all argued out then," I said to him.

Without permission from me, my head rested against the back of the seat and I let the events of the day catch up to me. My eyes flew open, and I sat up abruptly.

Ranger cut his eyes to me."What is it, Babe?"

"My car," I said."My beautiful, spotless, absolutely perfect Mercedes is probably dead."

"After the police are finished with it, I'm sure it can be repaired or replaced," Ranger said, probably wondering why I was focusing on a car after everything else that had gone on.

I couldn't figure that one out myself, except that the Mercedes had been a gift to me from Ranger, and I didn't want Steven Tavish to have taken anything I love away from me. Jennifer Owen's life is going to be hugely affected by his actions. Mary Lou's, too, at least for the immediate future. And as immature as it sounded, I didn't want my car to be another casualty of him. But I knew it was already too late for that. I would never be able to look at that car again without seeing Mary Lou's body being dumped into it, so maybe it getting toasted was for the best.

"No," I said."I was pretty much asking for something like this to happen. For some people, like _you_, it is only natural to be driving around in a Porsche or Mercedes. But a woman like me should stick to used car lot cast-offs."

"Someone 'like you', Steph?"

"You know what I'm talking about," I told him."I'm more known for my automotive 'accidents' than carrying around a bullet-less gun."

"If you listened to _everything _people have said about you, you'd know that you're smart, persistent, loving, and a head-to-toe remarkable woman."

"That's what _you've_ said about me," I told him. And I'm fine with only _one_ person thinking that as long as that person is Ranger.

"How come you listen to every bad thing that is said," Ranger said to me, his voice soft,"but you don't pay attention to anything positive?"

"Because I very rarely hear good things?"

Ranger reached over and took my hand."Babe, I've said nothing but good things about you since we started working together."

"Yeah, but I convinced myself that you just wanted to get in my pants."

"_You _convinced yourself?" Ranger asked, his expression doubtful."I'm sure Morelli had no trouble helping you out with that particular assumption."

"I admit that I may have listened more to Joe than you when it came to my work, but towards the end of our relationship, I saw that he probably had an ulterior motive all along."

"_Probably_? Stephanie, he wanted to keep us apart any way that he could."

I turned my head and smiled at him."It didn't work, did it?" I said to him.

"No. But not from Joe's lack of trying," Ranger said to me."But when he realized that what we had between us was too strong to fight, he stopped trying for a while. Big mistake on his part."

"I wouldn't call any part of our admitting we love each other a mistake," I told him.

"Look at it from Morelli's perspective."

"True."

Ranger tightened his fingers before letting mine go. I let out a contented sigh this time, and just enjoyed watching Ranger as he drove through the Burg.

He pulled into the emergency lot of St. Francis, and came around to my side of the car. He waited patiently while I unbuckled my seatbelt before ushering me into the hospital.

Ranger had some pull here as well as every other place in Trenton. My ass didn't even have a chance to land in one of the hard waiting room chairs before a doctor was coming over to me. Ranger hadn't made any phone calls that I saw, so I would guess Tank called ahead to let them know that I was on my way here. To get this kind of service for something not life-threatening made me think that Rangeman is_ extremely _generous when it came to hospital donations.

Ranger had been following behind me and the doctor, no doubt to hear exactly what the guy said so I wouldn't gloss over his instructions and tell Ranger that everything was fine, but Tank and the guys entered the waiting area. Apparently they stayed at the site only long enough to give the Trenton PD minimal details.

Ranger looked over at them and his eyes narrowed when he caught sight of Ram.

"You go on ahead, Babe," Ranger said to me."I'll be there in a minute."

"Can you give us a second?" I asked the doctor, and stepped a few feet away from everyone with Ranger without waiting for an answer from the doctor. I knew what Ranger was thinking and I had to change his mind, so I didn't bother beating around the bush.

"You can't fire Ram," I told him.

"That's what I do when someone who works for me fucks up," Ranger told me."He screwed up today and almost got you and Mary Lou killed because of it. I could terminate him differently, but I'm assuming you would also have a problem with that."

"Yes, I would. Ram did what he was told to do, Ranger. Even I thought Mary Lou was going to be safe. And besides, what was he supposed to do? Shadow her and scare the babies right out of the other patients. Offer to hold the stirrups for her? It wouldn't be uncommon for an expectant mother to visit her doctor, so you can't blame him for giving her a little privacy while she did."

"Babe, I have high standards for the people who work for me."

"And Ram has lived up to them," I said to him."You'd be losing a good man, and a valuable employee, by letting him go."

"Stephanie, _you're_ the most valuable person to me," he said,"if you would have been killed ..."

"But I wasn't. Remember what you told me about Steven Tavish being the only one to blame for Owen ending up in the hospital?"

"Yes."

"Mary Lou wasn't a skip, witness, or suspect, Ranger," I continued."She wasn't under a round-the-clock security detail, so don't be too hard on him. If you have to do something, put him on one of the more tedious jobs that all the men hate. Filling out paperwork, or have him take over my cubby for a week. But don't fire him over what happened. Slick, either." I added, since he'd been paired with Ram at the time.

"Or he can replace B.O.B in the gym for a month," Ranger surprised me by saying.

"Ranger ..."

"If he has a problem with it he can find another job." He caught Tank's eye and gave him a nod. Tank glanced at me before herding Lester, Ram, and Slick back out the door.

"That was one heck of a nod," I said under my breath.

"We've known and worked together for years, Babe," Ranger said."We understand each other. Sometimes words aren't necessary."

I took a step closer to him."Do you think we'll ever reach that point?" I asked.

"We'll have the next sixty or seventy years to work on it," he said.

I really like that Ranger is thinking in terms of decades rather than in days or weeks.

"Now let's get you checked out so I can take you home."

"Your home or my home?"

Now that Tavish is no longer a threat, I'm free to go back to my apartment anytime I choose. And I found that I wasn't as happy about that as I thought I would be.

"_My_ apartment," Ranger told me."I need to spend at least a week or two with you in my building before we even discuss you going back to your apartment. I'm going to have to come up with a more_ permanent _way of watching out for you."

"You're not going to LoJack me, are you?" I asked him."Or put a microchip under my skin like they do for pets?"

Ranger was looking more thoughtful than amused. Uh-oh.

"I was _kidding_, Ranger," I told him."_No. Microchips_."

"It's not a bad idea if you really think about it."

"It's a horrible idea. And it's also not going to happen." I told him."You can go get my doctor now so I can get this over with and see Mary Lou."

After Ranger located the doctor, the guy spent twenty minutes poking and prodding my shoulders and moving my arms various ways. When he was done, he essentially told me what I told Ranger. My left shoulder was sprained, my right one was strained, and I had angry red marks among the bruising on my wrists. My left arm was fitted for a sling to wear to keep it stationary so I wouldn't damage it any further, and I was told to rest over the next week or two and ice both shoulders as often as I needed to. Nothing I couldn't have learned from a Google search when we got back to Ranger's apartment, but I could see Ranger visibly relax when the doctor said I was free to leave, so I didn't think the visit was completely unnecessary.

Ranger had given me his jacket to wear for the ride home. It was big enough cover me without having to put my arms through the sleeves or slide them back out again. And I made Ranger stop at the hospital gift shop before visiting Mary Lou. We were told that she was going to be released soon, but I wanted to catch her before she left.

We found her room just as Lenny and Mary Lou were coming out of it.

"You're leaving already," I said, when we reached her."That must mean you're okay."

"Yeah, I am," Mary Lou said."My uterus is built like Fort Knox. This kid is more protected than we are."

"What about you?" She asked, after giving me a one-armed hug.

"The doctor gave me an excuse to play hooky for a week. I can do a limited amount of work. And I need lots of rest and someone to wait on me 24/7."

"You were only told two of those," Ranger said.

"But I like the third one the best," I told him.

I gave Mary Lou the little stuffed bear and box of chocolates I bought for her at the gift shop.

"Oh good," Mary Lou said,"a snack for the ride home. I'm starving. They don't give you anything here unless you plan on staying a while, which I don't. My mother's watching the boys and I know she isn't going to last much longer."

"I'd better let you get moving then," I said to her."Dinner next week?"

"Count on it," she said."And you'd better call me in the morning. Bobby gave me the gist of what was going on, but I want to hear, beginning to end, what happened."

"Okay," I told her.

"I'd ask now, but all I want to do is go home and hold each one of my little terrors. You never want to take your life for granted, and today showed me that I'd been starting to," she said, her eye suspiciously bright."The important things are all back in perspective now."

"You can kiss them for me too when you get home," I said to her.

They really are great kids, I just wouldn't want to be responsible for them twenty-fours hours a day.

"You're going to keep an eye on her, right?" I asked Lenny.

"She'll be lucky if I leave her to go to work tomorrow."

"You'll be going to work," she told him."And you'll also be babysitting next week when Steph and I go out."

"That's if I'm ready to let Stephanie out of my sight by then," Ranger said to us.

Mary Lou and I rolled our eyes at the same time. Men.

"Don't forget to call. Or, even better, come over if you can," she said right before Lenny escorted her out.

Mary Lou didn't seem too shaken up. Hopefully, she came out of this relatively unscathed, but I know from all my past experiences that the nights following something like this were harder to shake off. Now I had one more stop to make before I could collapse on Ranger's bed.

I had Ranger ask the nurse at the desk about Jennifer Owen's condition, since he was more likely to get an answer out of her. He also managed to wheedle the room number from her. Jennifer is still in bad shape, and her recovery is going to be a tough one, but she's going to live. I was halfway to her room when I came to a stop in the middle of the hallway. It was too soon to see her. She had enough on her plate without me adding to it. I was also a little nervous that she'd blame me for this happening to her, and I didn't want to put either one of us through that today if that's how she felt. There will be plenty of time to talk to her after she's had more time to mentally and physically recover.

I walked over to the nurse Ranger had pumped for information.

"Can you make sure that Jennifer gets this?" I asked her, putting the get well soon card and stuffed animal on the desk. There was no way I was buying anyone bouquets of flowers until I had a chance to put this episode behind me.

"Sure," she said."Are you a friend of hers?"

"Something like that," I told her.

Ranger took my free hand and didn't let go of it until we were back in his car.

Some of the guys were waiting in the Rangeman garage when we pulled in, assuming correctly that we'd be going up to the seventh floor without making any stops.

"The doctor said that I'm going to survive," I told them. I gestured to the sling on my arm."And they even give away free accessories when you leave."

"But you really are okay?" Bobby asked me.

"Yes. And thank you for getting Mary Lou out safely and to the hospital quickly."

"This was a group effort," Bobby said."No one should be singled out."

"Speaking of that," I said,"I really want to thank each and every one of you for watching over my family, my friends, and most of all ... me. I have no idea how I'm going to even begin to repay all of you."

"Just keep Ranger happy and we'll call it even," Ramon said,"since that will make _all _our lives better."

"That I can do," I told them."At least, I _think_ I can do that."

"You can, and you have, Babe," Ranger said.

"Is there something we can get you?" Vince asked."Is there anything you need?"

"Nope. I was looking forward to a pint of ice cream, but I think I'm just going to call it a day. And you all should, too. You guys have definitely earned the right to relax for the night. I'll see you tomorrow."

"The doctor said to rest, Steph," Ranger told me.

"And I am going to rest. _Tonight_."

I said goodbye to the guys, which involved more awkward hugs while Ranger got the elevator for me.

When I stepped into the apartment a few minutes later, I took a moment to appreciate the fact that, because of Ranger, I had made it back here.

Ranger hung up the windbreaker he'd been carrying for me before taking his own jacket off me and hanging it next to mine in the closet.

"Thank you, Ranger," I said, when he turned back to me."For supporting and saving me again."

"Steph, I have no doubt that you would have castrated that asshole if I hadn't shown up."

"I'd like to think that I would have saved myself," I said, quietly,"then you wouldn't have had to kill another person because of me."

"You'd be surprised at just how little Tavish's death bothers me, Stephanie."

I believed him, but I still didn't like the fact that he had felt forced to do it to protect me.

We passed by Rex as we headed to the bedroom. He'd been running at a dizzying speed on his wheel, but stopped and stared at me when I crouched down next to him. I tapped on the glass and told myself that he was happy that I was home and safe, and not because Rex was only waiting patiently for the piece of Pop-Tart I felt compelled to give him. This is a celebratory night after all.

"Okay Steph, Mary Lou is home by now, the guys are getting some much needed down time, and Rex got his treat, it's time for you to relax."

"What about you?" I asked him.

"I'm going to be staying here with you to make certain that you take care of yourself."

We stepped into his bedroom, and Ranger went to the walk-in closet and pulled out one of his black button down shirts.

He came back to me and nodded at the sling."Do you want to keep it on?"

"No," I told him."I'm not moving once I get into bed, so it should be fine. I'll put it on first thing tomorrow morning."

"We'll get you changed and then you can consider yourself immobile for the rest of the night."

Until I had to get up to brush my teeth or use the bathroom, I thought.

"It's going to be a joint effort to get me undressed," I said to Ranger.

The extra clothes sounded like a good idea at the time, but I didn't want to think about how painful the process is going to be to remove them now.

"I'm up for the task," he said, kneeling down in front of me.

He ditched my sneakers and removed the gun and holster from my leg before starting on the belt buckle.

"This is the same feeling I remember having as a child on Christmas morning," Ranger told me, sliding the belt from the loops on my jeans.

"Well, there will be nothing holy about the words I'll be saying when we get to the top half of my clothes."

Ranger unbuttoned my jeans and slid the zipper down."I'll be gentle, Babe. I promise," Ranger said, smiling up at me."That's why I chose a dress shirt. It'll be easier to get on and off."

"I thought it was because you like seeing me wear it," I said, as he tugged my jeans down my legs.

"That did play a part in it," he said, tossing my jeans aside."But mostly I was thinking about not jostling your shoulders too much."

Ranger looked at me in question when he got to my pantyhose.

"I thought the added clothes would buy me some time," I told him."It sounds stupid now, but it made total sense to me this afternoon."

Ranger's eyes got cold as he thought about what could have happened, but he put those feelings aside and quickly disposed of the hideous things. They weren't the control-top kind with a yard of extra fabric, but that still didn't make them any sexier.

When I was down to my bikini panties, Ranger pressed a kiss to a bruise he saw on my hip before standing up.

"You ready for the hard part, Babe."

"Yes," I said, even though I knew this was going to hurt worse than landing on it in the first place.

It took a good ten minutes, but Ranger patiently peeled each layer off of me until he reached skin. He slid his shirt over my arms, and fastened the first three buttons with only a few distracted glances at my breasts. He also slid the band from my hair and took off the watch, and dropped both of the trackers on the table next to his bed. And after what seemed like forever, I got to lie down on Ranger's huge bed minus a stalker and a boatload of fear.

His bed was so comfy that I even found a less painful way of laying. I felt myself finally calming down as I watched Ranger change into his black silk boxers and he chose a comfortable position himself on the bed, which had him laying between my legs, his arms crossed over my stomach, with his head resting on his hands. He had found a way of being as close to me as he could without hurting me.

My right hand went to his hair, and I watched my fingers disappear into it. Ranger wasn't doing anything sexual, but knowing that if he moved his head up or down a few inches I'd forget all about today for a little while had me cursing Tavish again, since I knew I wasn't capable of acting out my thoughts. Ranger knew I wasn't up for anything that physical yet, so he settled for keeping his body near mine without actually joining the two.

He set his chin on his hands and looked up my body at me."I'm never going to get used to seeing you threatened," he said, quietly.

I could feel the vibration of his voice shoot through me, but even that sensation couldn't block out the look of pain in his eyes.

I ran my fingertips from his temple, across his cheek, and down to his lips before threading them through his hair again. It didn't seem fair that Ranger had softer hair than me, but he did. Of course, his hair is as straight as mine is curly, so that could be the reason. That, and he's obviously genetically gifted.

"I didn't mean to upset you earlier, Ranger," I said to him."But I really didn't see any other way of getting to Mary Lou. And I don't even want to think about it in case there was."

"We'll have to go to the police station tomorrow," Ranger told me."There was no way they were getting you tonight, so they'll be calling at sunup."

"What about Endicot?" I asked."And the woman who called Mary Lou? Do you think they'll end up at the station, too?"

"Endicot doesn't seem to be involved in any of Tavish's activities," Ranger said."She appears to have only been helping out someone she thought was a friend. If the police find where Tavish dumped her car, I'm sure she'll be called to claim it. The caller might be a different story. Depends if the department decides to push it. Making a phone call isn't illegal, but if she knew it was part of a kidnapping plot, she could be in trouble. And Danadio is going to be pissed that he's never getting his money back."

It _is _probably harder to squeeze money out of a dead man than a stone, I thought to myself.

My cell chose to break its silence at that moment. I knew the peace wasn't likely to last, but it had been nice while we had it.

I had kept my phone with me even though I knew the calls would be coming in soon. When I saw my parents' number show up, I blew out a breath. I should have let Ranger field my calls for me, but that would have only made my mother more nervous. Ranger didn't move, aside from putting his head back down on my stomach. I, too, have learned to keep my head down around my mother.

"Millie Sampelto called and told me that you and Mary Lou Stankovic were at St. Francis," my mother said, when I made myself say hello into the phone."What happened? Is there something wrong with Mary Lou? With the baby? I hope the baby is okay. I said a prayer for her, and I think this one is going to be a girl. It would be terrible if something were to go wrong now. Are you all right? This didn't have anything to do with that Steven Tavish man, did it?"

I felt a little like Bigfoot, one sighting and I was front page news. Or maybe I should say the Jersey Devil, since the Pine Barrens weren't all that far from here. I could feel Ranger's lips form a smile against the skin that was exposed because Ranger never did finish buttoning my shirt. Now I knew why. My breasts were covered, but all the skin below them was fair game. His smile could have been caused by my thoughts, or what he knew I was listening to.

"Slow down, Mom," I told her."The baby is fine. I'm fine. And Tavish is dead. So he won't be bothering me, or anyone close to me, again."

"Give me the phone, Helen," I heard Grandma Mazur say to my mother."Is it true?"

"Is what true?" I asked.

"That this Tavish guy is dead?"

"Yep. I saw it with my own eyes."

She lowered her voice as if someone might be listening in."You can tell me the truth, are you the one who did it?" She asked.

"No."

"Darn."

"Grandma," I said, sighing loudly into the phone."Killing a person isn't something to brag about. It's a last resort. And you shouldn't be disappointed that I wasn't the one to shoot him."

If I _had_ shot him, the bullet probably wouldn't have been a fatal one. I would have most likely tagged him in the ass or toe, someplace a lot less_ vital_.

"Even so, I bet the world is better off without him," Grandma said.

I wasn't going to feel the least bit guilty for agreeing with Grandma.

"I'm just gonna come right out and say that I'm glad someone did kill him. No one should threaten my granddaughter and live to tell about it." She paused."Can I still spend time with Lester?"

"I suppose," I said to her."It's up to him. I warned him against it, though."

"Why?" Grandma asked me."You think I'm gonna become one of those cougars and run away with him?"

And Ranger thought I was exaggerating?

"No," I told her, even though I was scared she'd try."Lester knows how to protect himself if he has to. Tell mom that I'm okay, and that I'll be over tomorrow."

"She should be finished ironing by then," Grandma said."She's got three baskets in the kitchen now, and she only stops to answer the phone."

"Maybe you should disconnect it for the night."

"Why would I want to do something like that?" She asked."How would we know what's going on? We can't be left out of the loop."

"I can tell you exactly what happened when I see you," I said to her.

"No. The stuff we hear from other people always turns out to be better than the story you give us."

"You mean the truth isn't as entertaining as the lies?"

"Exactly."

"Bye, Grandma. I'll see you later." And I hung up.

Lula was caller number two.

"Hey, White Girl," she said."I just heard somethin' _real_ interestin'."

"You did? What about?"

"What do you think it's about?_ You! _Marion called me."

"You two are still friends?" I asked Lula.

"Fuck, yeah. She's not you, but she makes for a good drinkin' buddy," Lula said."Seein' as how you can't hold your booze worth a shit."

This is true. I get drunk on two beers. Three glasses of wine and I'm comatose. Ranger can vouch for that one.

"Marion heard that your stalker was shot dead today. Would you know anythin' about that?"

"I might," I said."The question is, how did Marion know?"

Lula laughed."This here's where things are gettin' excitin'."

"How so?" I didn't know if I was up for anymore excitement today.

"You heard her say that she wanted to get back on the horse, or in the saddle, or tackle the barn boy. You know, one of them country verbalisms people use. Well, she wasted no time doin' it. That day we brought her in, she left the police station with two phone numbers. And she's now movin' on to seein' them."

"Them? As in plural?" I met Ranger's eyes, and his crinkled a little at the corners. Ranger was amused.

I was starting to think that he really could hear my conversation, either by being psychic or by having bat-like sonar hearing

"You bet your ass _plural_," Lula said."And you'll never guess who Mr. Friday Night and Mr. Saturday Night are."

"I don't want to guess. Just tell me."

"Jeez, you'd think a woman who just got rid of a dangerous stalker would be in a much better mood."

"_Lula_ ..." I warned her.

"Your best buds down at the police station. Carl Costanza and Big Dog."

My mouth dropped all the way open. Ouch. Mental note, don't do that. It hurts.

"You're joking, right?"

"Nope, not me," Lula said to me."I wouldn't joke about gossip this good."

"Do they know about each other?" I asked her.

I could almost hear Lula smile."No."

"I'm going to have so much fun with this," I said to myself, but Lula heard me.

"I thought this would make your day better," she said."It's over right? No more hiding? No more creepy flower deliveries? And you're all right? Ranger's takin' good care of you? I can be over there in fifteen minutes to see with my own eyes that he's doin' a good enough job of takin' care of my best friend."

Ranger's lips tipped up. I was going with sonar hearing.

"He's doing an_ excellent _job," I said to her."I'm going to take a couple of days off to rest, and then we can go have margaritas at Chevy's."

"You want me to invite Marion?" Lula asked.

"Oh yeah. I need_ lots _of details." This will teach Carl and Big Dog to bet on me. I could start my own pool with this information."You can call Connie and see if she wants to come and then we can figure out a day and time. And you can also pass on my taking a few days off message to her at the same time."

"I can do that," Lula said."But I'm callin' tomorrow to see how you're doin'."

"Sure," I said, and pushed the button to end the call. Like I could stop her from calling if I wanted to?

I put the phone down, and really smiled for the first time since this ended. I was alive. Ranger is with me. The people I'm closest to have already been spoken to. Now I can sit back and enjoy the moment. I was given another chance to live, and I didn't want to miss a second of my life even by closing my eyes, so I watched as Ranger balanced on his knees and used his hands to climb up over me until his lips were lightly touching mine.

"You can close your eyes, Babe," he said, his mouth brushing against me."I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here for you when you wake up ... and every minute after."


End file.
